... ... ... ... ... ... since they are perfect Individuals. And they are all unified, in harmony.
The Mind, the guardian I provided for you taught you. And it is the power that exists in you that extended itself, since it (you?) often rejoiced in the Triple Powered One who belongs to all those who truly exist with the immeasurable one.

O eternal light of the knowledge that has appeared! 
O male virginal glory!  
O first aeon from a unique threefold aeon!  
O Triple-Powered One who truly exists!

For after it contracted it expanded, 
and it spread out and became complete,  
and it was empowered with all of them, 
by knowing itself in addition to the perfect Invisible Spirit,  
and it became an aeon.

By knowing herself she knew that one, and she became Kalyptos because she acts in those whom she knows. 

She is Protophanes, a perfect, invisible Intellect, Harmedon.

Empowering the individuals, she is Triple Male, since she is individually  
... ... ... ... ... they are unified since she is their Existence, 
and she sees them all truly existing. 

She contains the divine Autogenes:

When she knew her Existence and 
when she stood at rest upon this one (Autogenes), 
he (<she>?) saw them all existing individually just as they are.

And when they (he? she?) become as he is, 
he (she? they?) shall see the divine Triple Male,  
the power that is higher than God. 
He is the thought of all those who are unified.

When he (the Triple Male) contemplates them (unified),  
he contemplates the great male, perfect?, Intellect Protophanes. 
He is their procession; when he sees it, 
he also sees the truly existing ones,  
since it is the procession for those who are unified.

And when he has seen these (truly existing), he has seen Kalyptos. 

And when he sees the unity of the hidden ones, 
he sees the Barbalo-Aeon, the unbegotten offspring of that One. 

When one should see how it lives (one sees the Triple Powered One)

... ... ... ... ... you have heard about the abundance of each one of them certainly. Now concerning the Triple-Powered Invisible Spirit One, hear!

The Triple Powered One

He exists as an invisible One, unattainable for them all.  
He contains them all within himself, for they all exist because of him. 
He is perfect and greater than perfect. 
And he is blessed, since he is always one.
And he exists in them all, 
being ineffable, unnamable,  
being one who exists through them all 

--he whom, should one intelligize him, one would not desire anything that  
exists before him among those that possess existence-- 

for he is the source from which they were all emitted. 

He is prior to Perfection; 
he was prior to every Divinity, and 
he is prior to every Blessedness, 
since he provides for every power.

And he is an insubstantial substance,  
a God over whom there is no Divinity, 
the surpasser of his own greatness and <beauty>. 
... ... ... ... ... power.

The Triple Powered One provides Being by means of Existence

It is not impossible for them to receive a revelation of these things if they unify (in Protophanes). Since it is impossible that the Individuals (in Autogenes) comprehend the totality situated in the realm that is higher than perfect, they at least share (in it) through a preconception, not as Being per se, for on the contrary it is with the hiddeness (cf. Kalyptos) of Existence that he provides Being, providing for it in every way, since it is this that shall come into being when he intelligizes himself.

For he is a Unity, subsisting as 
a true cause and source of Being, 
even an immaterial matter 
and an innumerable number 
and a formless form 
and a shapeless shape 
and a powerlessness with power 
and an insubstantial substance  
and a motionless motion 
and an inactive activity, 
except that he is a provider of provision  
and a divinity of divinity.

The Triple Powered One provides Being as Vitality

But if they share (this kind of Being), they share in the prime Vitality, even an indivisible activity, an hypostasis of the primary (activity) of the one that truly exists.

The Triple Powered One provides Being with Mentality/Blessedness

Now a secondary activity ... ... however, is that ... ... Male ... ... ... he is endowed with Blessedness and Goodness, because

when he is intelligized as the Delimiter (D - the Delimiter) of the (indeterminate) 
Boundlessness (B - Boundlessness) of the Invisible Spirit (IS - the Invisible Spirit)) that subsists in him (the Delimiter), it (Boundlessness) causes him (the Delimiter) to revert to it (the Invisible Spirit) in order that 
it (Boundlessness) might know what it is that is within it (the Invisible Spirit)) and how it (the Invisible Spirit)) exists, and that he (the Delimiter) might guarantee the endurance of everything 
by being a a (determining) cause of truly existing things.  
For through him (the Delimiter) knowledge of it (the Invisible Spirit) became available,  
since he (the Delimiter) is the one who knows what it (the Invisible Spirit) is. 
But they brought forth nothing beyond themselves, 
neither power nor rank nor glory nor aeon, for they are all eternal.

He is Vitality and Mentality and Essentiality. So then: 
Essentiality constantly includes its Vitality and Mentality, and {Life has}  
Vitality includes {non-} Substantiality and Mentality; 
Mentality includes Life and Essentiality.  
And the three are one, although individually they are three." 

Allogenes' response:

Now after I heard these things, O my son Messos, I was afraid and I turned toward the crowd ... ... thought ... ... ... ... ... empowers those who are able to know these things by a greater revelation, but I was able--even though flesh was upon me--to hear from <you> about these things. And because of the wisdom that is in them, the thought within me distinguished things beyond measure from unknowable things. Therefore I fear that my wisdom has become excessive."

And then again, O my son Messos, the all-glorious one, Youel spoke to me; she appeared to me and said: 
"No one is able to hear these things except the great powers alone. O Allogenes, you have been vested with a great power, that with which the Father of the All vested you before you came to this place, so that 

those things that are difficult to distinguish you might distinguish, 
and those things that are unknown to the multitude you might know,  
and that you might be restored to that which is yours, 
which was already intact and so needs no restoration.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... to you a form and a revelation.  
As for the Triple-Powered Invisible Spirit, outside of him there is 
situated a non-discriminating, incorporeal, timeless knowledge.  
Like all the aeons, the Barbelo-Aeon is  
also endowed with the types and forms of the things that truly exist, 
the image of Kalyptos;

and endowed with their intelligent rational principles,  
it bears the male Intellect Protophanes as an image, 
and acts within the Individuals 
either with craft or with skill or with partial instinct; 

endowed with the divine Autogenes as an image 
and knowing each one of these (individuals),  
it acts separately and individually, 
continually rectifying defects arising from Nature;

endowed with the divine Triple Male  
as an integration (or preservation) of them all with the Invisible Spirit,  
it is a rational expression of deliberation, the perfect Child.  
And this hypostasis is a ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 

Allogenes' response:

My soul went slack and I fled and I was very disturbed. And I turned to myself and saw the light that surrounded me and the Good that was in me, and I became Divine. And the all-glorious one, Youel, contacted me again and empowered me. She said:

"Since your wisdom has become complete and you have known the Good that is within you, hear concerning the Triple-Powered One things you shall guard in great silence and great mystery, because they are not to be spoken to anyone except those who are worthy and able to hear. Nor is it fitting to speak to an uninstructed generation concerning anything higher than perfect. 
But you have <this capability to hear> concerning the Triple-Powered One, who exists in Blessedness and Goodness, the cause of everything by virtue of encompassing a vast magnitude even though he is <unitarily> One. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... of preconception, not as if through things that exist within comprehension and knowledge and understanding.

And that one moved motionlessly in his governance, lest he sink into the boundless by means of another act of Mentality. And he entered into himself and appeared all-encompassing. 

Everything that is higher than perfect is anterior to knowledge. Just as there is no possibility for complete comprehension, so also he is not known by me. And that's the way it is.

On account of the third silence of Mentality and 
the undivided secondary activity (i.e. Vitality) that appeared in 
the First Thought-- that is, the Barbelo-Aeon-- and 
the undivided semblance of division, even 
the Triple-Powered One and the non-substantial Existence, 

the power appeared by means of an activity that is stable and silent. 
It uttered a sound in this fashion: `ZZA ZZA ZZA.' But when she heard  
the power and she was filled ... ... ... ... ... ... 

Praises of Barbelo according to Existence?, Vitality, and Mentality

(In accord with the Existence that is thine ... from which derives Perfection:) 
`... ... Thou art great, Deiphaneus! Solmis, thou art great!
In accord with the Vitality that is thine, 
even the primary activity from which derives Divinity: 
Thou art great, Armedon! Thou art perfect, Epiphaneus!

And in accord with that activity of thine, 
the secondary power, even the Mentality from which derives Blessedness:  
Autoer, Beritheus, Erigenaor, Orimenios, Aramen,  
Alphleges, Elelioupheus, Lalameus, Yetheus, Noetheus!  
Thou art great! He who knows thee knows the All! 
Thou art one, thou art one, O Good one, Aphredon!  
Thou art the Aeon of aeons, O perpetually existing one!' 

Then she praised the entire One, saying:  
`Lalameus, Noetheus, Senaon,  
Asineus, Oriphanios, Mellephaneus, 
Elemaon{}, <I>smoun, Optaon! 
He who is! Thou art He who is, the Aeon of aeons! 
O unbegotten one higher than the unbegotten ones, Yatomenos!, 
It is thou alone for whom all the unborn ones were begotten, O unnamable one!'

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... knowledge." 

Allogenes' response

Now after I heard these things, I too glorified 
the perfect individuals  
and the all-perfect ones who are unified, 
even the all-perfect ones who are before the perfect ones.

Then the mother of the glories Youel spoke to me again:  
"O Allogenes, you shall surely know that 

the Triple-Powered One exists before  
those that do not exist,  
those that exist (but) do not truly exist,  
and those that truly exist.  
Rather all these exist in 
Divinity and Blessedness and Existence,  
even as non-substantiality and non-being Existence." 

Allogenes' response

And then I prayed that the revelation might happen to me.

And then the all-glorious One, Youel, said to me: "While the Triple Male is a self-begotten entity insofar as he is substantial, the (Triple Powered One) ... is an insubstantiality ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... those who dwell in association with the generation of those who truly exist. The self-begotten ones dwell with the Triple Male. 
If you seek with perfect seeking, then you shall know the Good that is in you; then you shall know yourself, as well, (as) one who derives from the God who truly pre-exists. 

And after a hundred years there shall come to you a revelation of that One by means of Salamex and Semen (Selmen?) and Armê, the Luminaries of the Barbelo-Aeon." 

And she said to me: "It is appropriate that you know him at first, so as not to forfeit your kind. And when you succeed, then <...>. When you receive a conception of that One, then you are filled with the Word to completion. And then you become divine and you become perfect. You receive them ... ... ... ... ... ... ... the seeking ... ... the Existence ...  
If it apprehends anything, it is apprehended by that One and by that which is comprehended, which amounts to the same thing.

And then that becomes greater which comprehends and knows 
than that which is comprehended and known. 
But if it descends to its nature it is less, 
for the incorporeal natures have not associated with any magnitude;  
thus endowed, they are everywhere and they are nowhere,  
since they are greater than every magnitude and less than every exiguity." 

Allogenes' response

Now after the all-glorious one, Youel, said these things, she separated from me and left me. But I did not despair of the words I heard. I prepared myself therein and I deliberated with myself for a hundred years. And I greatly rejoiced that I was in a great light and a blessed path because all those whom I was worthy to see as well as those whom I was worthy to hear (were) things fitting for the great powers alone (to see and hear). ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... of God. 

Allogenes' initial vision of the Barbelo Aeon:

When the completion of the one hundred years approached, there came upon me a Blessedness of the eternal hope full of auspiciousness. I saw: 

the good divine Autogenes;  
and the Savior who is the perfect Triple Male Child; 
and his goodness, the perfect Intellect Protophanes-Harmedon;  
and the Blessedness of the Kalyptos; 
and the pre-principle of the Blessedness, the Barbelo-Aeon full of Divinity;  
and the pre-principle of the unoriginate one, the Triple-Powered Invisible Spirit, 
the totality that is more than perfect.

When I was seized by the eternal light, by the garment that was upon me, and was taken up to a pure place whose likeness cannot be revealed in the world, then by means of a great Blessedness I saw all those about whom I had heard. And I praised them all and I stood at rest upon my knowledge and I turned to the Knowledge of the Universal Ones, the Barbelo-Aeon.

And by means of the Luminaries of the male virginal Barbelo I saw multiple powers telling me: 

"O great power! O name that has come to be in the world! O Allogenes, behold your Blessedness, how silently it abides, by which you know your proper self, and, seeking yourself, ascend to the Vitality that you will see moving.

And even if you cannot stand, fear not! But if you wish to stand, ascend to the Existence, and you will find it standing and still after the likeness of the One who is truly still and embraces all these silently and inactively.

And should you experience a revelation of that One by means of a primary revelation of the Unknowable One, should you know him, you must be incognizant! And if you become afraid in that place, retreat because of those activities (that disrupt tranquillity); And should you become complete in that place, stay still! And as in your own case, be further aware that it's like this with everyone, just as in (your) case!

And do not further dissipate, so that you may be able to stand, and do not desire to be active, lest in any way you fall away from the inactivity in you of the Unknowable One. Do not know him, for it is impossible; but if by means of an enlightened thought you should know him, stay incognizant of him!" 

Allogenes' response:

While I was listening to these things as as those there spoke them, there was within me a stillness of silence, and I heard the Blessedness whereby I knew <my> proper self. 
And I ascended to the Vitality as I sought it. And I mutually entered it and stood, not firmly but quietly. And I saw an eternal, intellectual, undivided motion, all-powerful, formless, unlimited by limitation.

And when I wanted to stand firmly, I ascended to the Existence, which I found standing and at rest, resembling and similar to (the standing and resting) covering me.

By means of a revelation of the Indivisible and the Stable I was filled with revelation; by means of a primary revelation of the Unknowable One, as though incognizant of him, I knew him and was empowered by him. Having been permanently strengthened, I knew that which exists in me, even the Triple-Powered One and the revelation of his unattainableness.

And by means of a primary revelation of the universally prime Unknowable One-- the God who is beyond perfection--I saw him and the Triple-Powered One that exists in them all. I was seeking the ineffable and unknowable God of whom--should one know him--one would be completely incognizant, the one who mediates the Triple-Powered One, the one who subsists in stillness and silence and is unknowable.

And when I was confirmed in these matters, the powers of the Luminaries said to me: "Cease dissipating the inactivity that exists in you by (further) inquiry after incomprehensible matters; rather hear about him insofar as it is possible by means of a primary revelation and a revelation: 

Without Mind, Life, or Existence

Now he is an entity insofar as he exists, in that 
he either exists and becomes (is and exists?), or {acts} <lives> or knows, 
although he {lives}<acts> without Mind or Life or Existence  
--or Nonexistence-- incomprehensibly.
And although he is an entity along with its own attributes,  
he is not left over in any way, 
as if he yields something that is assayed or purified or  
as if he receives or gives.

Nor is he diminished in any way,  
whether by his own desire  
or whether by giving or receiving through another.

Neither does he have any desire, whether his own  
or that would have been added by something else. 

But neither does he produce anything by himself  
lest he become diminished in some other way.

Therefore, he requires neither Mind nor Life 
nor indeed anything at all.

Unknowability

He is superior to the Totality in his privation and unknowability-- which is non-being Existence-- although he is endowed with silence and stillness lest he be inished by the undiminishables. 

Parallel with the Apocryphon of John (BG ,6-25,7 = II ,17-3

He is neither Divinity nor Blessedness nor Perfection. 
Rather he is an unknowable entity, not an attribute. 
Rather he is something else superior to Blessedness and Divinity and Perfection, 
for he is not perfect, but he is another thing that is superior.
He is neither boundless 
nor is he bounded by another. 
Rather he is something superior. 

He is neither corporeal nor incorporeal,  
neither Great nor Small,  
neither a quantity nor a <quality>. 

Nor is he something that exists that one can know; 
rather he is something else that is superior that one cannot know. 

Even if primary revelation and self-knowledge characterize him,  
it is he alone who knows himself. 

Since he is not among existing things,  
he is something else superior to superlative,  
even in comparison what does 
and does not apply to him.

He neither participates in eternity 
nor does he participate in time,  
nor does he receive anything from anything else.

He is neither diminishable,  
nor diminishing,  
nor undiminishable. 

But he is self-comprehension,  
like something so unknowable,  
that he exceeds those who excel in unknowability. 

Even if he is endowed with blessedness and perfection and silence, 
(he is) not the Blessed One, nor is he Perfection or Stillness. 

But he is something existing that one cannot know--and which is at rest.  
Rather they are completely unknowable aspects of him,  
while he is much superior in beauty than all good things. 
And in this way he is universally unknowable in every respect, 
and it is through them all that he is in them all.

Not only is he the unknowable knowledge that is proper to him,  
he is also united with the ignorance that sees him.

<Whether> a <one sees> in what way he is unknowable, or sees him as he is in every respect or would say that he is something like knowledge, he has acted impiously against him, being liable to judgment because he did not know God. He will not be judged by that One, who is neither concerned for anything nor has any desire, but he is (judged) through himself because he has not found the truly existing origin. He was blind apart from the quiescent source of revelation, the actualization deriving from the Triple-Power of the First Thought of the Invisible Spirit. 

The Powers of the Luminaries: C. Positive Theology

This one thus exists from ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... something ... ... established on ...It was with beauty and a dawning of stillness and silence and tranquillity and unfathomable magnitude that he appeared. 

He needed neither time nor <did he participate> in eternity.  
Rather of himself he is unfathomably unfathomable. 
He does not act --not even upon himself--so as to become still. 
He is not an Existence lest he be in want. 
Spatially he is corporeal, while properly he is incorporeal.  
He has non-being Existence.  
He exists for all of them unto himself without any desire. 

Rather he is a maximum of greatness. 
And he transcends his stillness in order that ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... the Invisible Spirit.

Although he empowered them all, 
they do not concern themselves with that One at all, 
nor if one should participate him, is he empowered. 

In accordance with (his) immobile Unity, nothing acts on him.  
For he is unknowable; he is a breathless place of the boundlessness.

Since he is boundless and powerless and nonexistent, 
he was not providing Being. 
Rather he contains all of these in himself, 
being at rest, (and) standing.

From the One who constantly stands, there appeared an eternal Life, the Invisible and Triple Powered Spirit, the One that is in all existing things and surrounds them all while transcending them all. A shadow ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... he was filled with power. And he stood before them, empowering them all, and he filled them all.

And concerning all these matters, you have heard certainly. And do not seek anything more, but go. We do not know whether the Unknowable One has angels or gods, or whether the One who is at rest contains anything within himself except that very stillness. For he <...>, lest he be diminished. It is not appropriate to further dissipate through repeated seeking. It was appropriate that you <alone> know and that they speak with another. Instead, you will lead them ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... and he said to me: "Write down the things that I shall tell you and of which I shall remind you for those who will be worthy after you. And you shall leave this book upon a mountain and you shall adjure the guardian: `Come, Dreadful One!'" And when he said these things, he separated from me.

Allogenes' response: record the revelation

But I was full of joy, and I wrote this book. I was commissioned, my son Messos, to disclose to you the matters that were proclaimed before me. And I initially received them in great silence and (then) I settled into preparing myself.
These are the things that were disclosed to me, O my son Messos ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... proclaim them, O my son Messos.

The revelation  that Adam taught his son Seth in the seven hundredth year,  saying, Listen to my words, my son Seth. When god  created me out of the earth along with your mother Eve, I went about with her in a glory that she saw in the eternal realm from which we came. She taught me knowledge of the eternal god. And we resembled the great eternal angels, for we were higher than the god who created us and the powers with him, whom we did not know.

God, the ruler of the realms  and the powers, divided us in wrath, and then we became two beings.  And the glory in our hearts left us, me and your mother Eve, along with the first knowledge that breathed in us. And glory fled from us and entered another great realm. Your mother Eve and I didn’t come from this realm. But knowledge entered into the seed of great eternal beings. For this reason I myself have called you by the name of that person who is the seed of the great generation  or its predecessor.  After those days the eternal knowledge of the god of truth withdrew from me and your mother Eve. Then we learned about the inanimate as we did about human beings. We recognized the god who created us. We were not strangers to his powers. And we served him in fear and slavery. After these events our hearts darkened, and I slept in my heart’s darkened thought.

And I saw three persons before me whose likeness I was unable to recognize. They were not from the powers of the god who created us.  They surpassed glory, saying to me, “Rise, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the eternal being and the seed of that person to whom life has come, who came from you and from Eve, your wife.”

When I heard these words from the great persons standing before me, Eve and I sighed in our hearts. And the lord, the god who created us, stood before us. He said, “Adam, why were you both sighing in your hearts? Don’t you know that I am the god who created you? I breathed into you a spirit of life as a living soul.”  Darkness came over our eyes.

Then the god who created us created a son from himself and Eve, your mother. . . .  I knew a sweet desire for your mother. And the vigor of our eternal knowledge was destroyed in us, and weakness pursued us. The days of our life were few. I knew that I had come under the authority of death.

Now, my son Seth, I will reveal what those whom I saw revealed to me. After I went through the period of this generation and the years of the generation were over. . . .

For rain showers of god almighty  will pour down so that he can destroy all flesh from the earth, using what is around them, along with people from the seed of those who received the life of knowledge. That life of knowledge came from your mother Eve and me.  They were strangers to him. Afterward great angels come on high clouds, who take those people where the spirit of life lives. . . . The whole multitude of flesh will be left behind in the waters.

God will rest from his wrath. And he casts his power on the waters, and gives power to his  sons and their wives by means of the ark along with the animals, whichever he pleased, and the birds of heaven, which he called and released upon the earth. And god says to Noah, whom generations call Deucalion,  “Look, I have protected you in the ark along with your wife and your sons and their wives and their animals and the birds of heaven, which you called and released upon the earth. . . . So I give the earth to you, to you and your sons. In kingly fashion you will rule over it, you and your sons. And you will have no seed from the people who do not stand in my presence in another glory.”

Some  become like the cloud of great light, and those people come who are sent out from the knowledge of the great eternal realms and the angels.  They stand before Noah and the realms. 

And god says to Noah, “Why have you strayed from what I told you? You have created another generation so you can scorn my power.” And Noah says, “I testify before your might that the generation of these people didn’t come from me or my sons. . . .” 

And . . . those people  are brought into their proper land and a holy dwelling will be built for them. And they are called by that name  and live there six hundred years in knowledge of incorruptibility.  Angels of the great light live with them. No foul deed resides in their hearts, but only the knowledge of god.

Then Noah divides the whole earth among his sons, Ham and Japheth and Shem. He says to them, “My sons, hear me. Look, I have divided the earth among you. But serve him in fear and slavery all the days of your life. You children must not go away from the face of god almighty. . . .”

. . . the son of Noah  says, “You and your power will be pleased with my seed. Seal it with your strong hand of fear and command, and then the whole seed that came from me will not turn from you and god almighty, but they will serve in humility and fear of what they know.”

Then others from the seed of Ham and Japheth come, four hundred thousand, and enter another land and stay with those people who came from the great eternal knowledge.  The shadow of their power protects those with them from everything evil and every filthy desire.

Then the seed of Ham and Japheth forms twelve kingdoms,  and their other seed enters into the kingdom of other people. 

. . . they take counsel . . . aeons . . . that are dead . . . the great aeons of incorruptibility.  And they go to their god Sakla.  They go in to the powers, accusing the great ones who are in their glory.

They say to Sakla, “What is the power of these people who stood in your presence, who were taken from the seed of Ham and Japheth, who number four hundred thousand?  They were received into another realm from which they came, and they overturned all the glory of your power and the dominion of your hand. The seed of Noah through his sons has done your will, and so have all the powers in the realms over which your might rules. Both those people and those who reside in their glory have not done your will. But they have turned aside your whole throng.”

Then the god of the realms gives them some of those who serve him. . . . They come on that land where the great ones are who have not been defiled, nor will they be defiled by any desire. For their souls did not come from a defiled hand, but from an eternal angel’s great command.

Then fire and sulfur and asphalt are cast upon those people, and fire and blinding mist come over those realms, and the eyes of the powers of the luminaries  are darkened, and the inhabitants of the realms cannot see in those days. 

And great clouds of light descend, and other clouds of light come down on them from the great eternal realms. Abrasax and Sablo and Gamaliel  descend and bring those people out of the fire and the wrath, and take them above the eternal realms and the rulers of the powers, and take them away . . . there with the holy angels and the eternal beings. The people will be like those angels, for they are not strangers to them. But they work with the imperishable seed.

Once again, for the third time,  the illuminator of knowledge passes by in great glory to leave some of the seed of Noah and the sons of Ham and Japheth—to leave fruit-bearing trees for himself.  And he redeems their souls from the day of death. The whole creation that came from the dead earth will be under the authority of death. But those who reflect on the knowledge of the eternal god in their hearts will not perish. They have not received spirit from this kingdom  but from something eternal, angelic. . . . The illuminator will come . . . Seth. And he will perform signs and wonders to scorn the powers and their ruler.

Then the god of the powers  is disturbed and says, “What is the power of this person who is higher than we are?”  Then he brings a great wrath against that person. And glory withdraws and lives in holy houses it has chosen for itself. The powers do not see it with their eyes, nor do they see the illuminator. They punish the flesh of the one over whom the holy spirit has come. 

Then the angels and all the generations of the powers will use the name in error, asking, “Where did this come from?” or “Where did the words of deception, which all the powers have failed to realize, come from?” 

Now, the first kingdom says of the illuminator that he came from . . . a spirit . . . to heaven. He was nourished in the heavens. He received the glory of that one and the power. He came to the bosom of his mother, and in this way he came to the water.

And the second kingdom says of him that he came from a great prophet. And a bird came, took the child who was born, and brought him onto a high mountain. And he was nourished by the bird of heaven. An angel came forth there. He said to him, “Rise! God has given you glory.” He received glory and strength, and in this way he came to the water.

The third kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin womb.  He was cast out of his city, he and his mother; he was brought to a desert place. He was nourished there. He came and received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

The fourth kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin. . . . Solomon sought her, he and Phersalo and Sauel and his armies, which had been sent out. Solomon himself sent his army of demons to seek out the virgin.  And they did not find the one whom they sought, but the virgin who was given to them. It was she whom they fetched. Solomon took her. The virgin became pregnant and gave birth to the child there. She nourished him on a border of the desert. When he was nourished, he received glory and power from the seed from which he was conceived, and in this way he came to the water.

And the fifth kingdom says of him that he came from a drop from heaven. He was thrown into the sea. The abyss received him, gave birth to him, and brought him to heaven. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

And the sixth kingdom says that one . . . came down to the realm that is below in order to gather flowers. She became pregnant from the desire of the flowers. She gave birth to him in that place. The angels of the flower garden nourished him. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the seventh kingdom says of him that he is a drop and came from heaven to earth. Dragons brought him down to caves, and he became a child. A spirit came over him and raised him to the place from where the drop had come. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the eighth kingdom says of him that a cloud came over the earth and enveloped a rock. He came from it.  The angels above the cloud nourished him. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the ninth kingdom says of him that from the nine muses one separated. She came to a high mountain and spent some time seated there, so that she desired her own body in order to become androgynous. She fulfilled her desire and became pregnant from her desire. He was born. The angels who were over the desire nourished him. And he received glory there and power, and in this way he came to the water.

The tenth kingdom says of him that his god loved a cloud of desire. He fathered him in his hand and cast upon the cloud above him some of the drop, and he was born.  He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the eleventh kingdom says of him that the father desired his own daughter. She was pregnant from her father. She cast her child  . . . tomb out in the desert. The angel nourished him there, and in this way he came to the water.

The twelfth kingdom says of him that he came from two luminaries.  He was nourished there. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

And the thirteenth kingdom  says of him that every birth of their ruler is a word. And this word received a mandate there. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water, that the desire of those powers might be satisfied.

But the generation without a king  says that god  chose him from all the eternal realms. He caused knowledge of the one of truth, who is undefiled, to reside in him. He said, “Out of a foreign air, from a huge eternal realm, the great illuminator appeared. And he made the generation of those people whom he had chosen for himself shine, so that they should shine on the whole eternal realm.”

The seed,  those who will receive his name upon the water and that of them all, will fight against the power. And a cloud of darkness will come upon them.

Then the peoples  will cry out with a great voice, saying, “Blessings on the soul of those people because they have known god with a knowledge of the truth. They shall live forever, because they have not been corrupted by their desire, along with the angels, nor have they performed the works of the powers, but they have stood in his presence in a knowledge of god like light that has come forth from fire and blood.

“But we have done every deed of the powers foolishly. We have boasted in the transgression of all our works. We have cried against the god of truth because all his work . . . is eternal. These are against  our spirits. For now we know that our souls will die in death.”

Then a voice came to them. Micheus and Michar and Mnesinous, who are over the holy baptism and the living water,  were saying, “Why were you crying out against the living god with lawless voices and tongues without law over them, and souls full of blood and foul deeds? You are full of works that are not of the truth, yet your ways are full of joy and rejoicing. Having defiled the water of life, you have drawn it within the will of the powers to whom you have been given to serve them.

“And your thought is not like that of those people whom you persecute. . . . Their fruit does not wither. But they will be known up to the great eternal realms, because the words they have kept, of the god of the eternal realms, were not committed to the book, nor were they written. Angelic beings will bring them, whom all the generations of people will not know. For they will be on a high mountain, upon a rock of truth. Therefore they will be called words of incorruptibility and truth, for those who know the eternal god in wisdom of knowledge and teaching of angels forever, for he knows all things.”

These are the revelations that Adam made known to Seth his son. And his son taught his seed about them. This is the hidden knowledge of Adam, which he gave to Seth, which is the holy baptism of those who know the eternal knowledge through those born of the word and the imperishable illuminators, who came from the holy seed: Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus, the living, water.

It is the Lord who spoke with me: "See now the completion of my redemption. I have given you a sign of these things, James, my brother. For not without reason have I called you my brother, although you are not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant concerning you; so that when I give you a sign - know and hear." 

"Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and ineffable. I myself am also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I have been given a number of names - two from Him-who-is. And I, I am before you. Since you have asked concerning femaleness, femaleness existed, but femaleness was not first. And it prepared for itself powers and gods. But it did not exist when I came forth, since I am an image of Him-who-is. But I have brought forth the image of him so that the sons of Him-who-is might know what things are theirs and what things are alien (to them). Behold, I shall reveal to you everything of this mystery. For they will seize me the day after tomorrow. But my redemption will be near." 

James said, "Rabbi, you have said, 'they will seize me.' But I, what can I do?" He said to me, "Fear not, James. You too will they seize. But leave Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup of bitterness to the sons of light. She is a dwelling place of a great number of archons. But your redemption will be preserved from them. So that you may understand who they are and what kinds they are, you will .... And listen. They are not ... but archons .... These twelve ... down ... archons ... upon his own hebdomad." 

James said, "Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as there are in the scriptures?" The Lord said, "James, he who spoke concerning this scripture had a limited understanding. I, however, shall reveal to you what has come forth from him who has no number. I shall give a sign concerning their number. As for what has come forth from him who has no measure, I shall give a sign concerning their measure" 

James said, "Rabbi, behold then, I have received their number. There are seventy-two measures!" The Lord said, "These are the seventy-two heavens, which are their subordinates. These are the powers of all their might; and they were established by them; and these are they who were distributed everywhere, existing under the authority of the twelve archons. The inferior power among them brought forth for itself angels and unnumbered hosts. Him-who-is, however, has been given ... on account of ... Him-who-is ... they are unnumbered. If you want to give them a number now, you will not be able to do so until you cast away from your blind thought, this bond of flesh which encircles you. And then you will reach Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are the One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all have been named." 

<James said,>, "Rabbi, in what way shall I reach Him-who-is, since all these powers and these hosts are armed against me?" He said to me, "These powers are not armed against you specifically, but are armed against another. It is against me that they are armed. And they are armed with other powers. But they are armed against me in judgment. They did not give ... to me in it ... through them .... In this place ... suffering, I shall .... He will ... and I shall not rebuke them. But there shall be within me a silence and a hidden mystery. But I am fainthearted before their anger." 

James said, "Rabbi, if they arm themselves against you, then is there no blame?" 

You have come with knowledge, 

that you might rebuke their forgetfulness. 

You have come with recollection, 

that you might rebuke their ignorance. 

But I was concerned because of you. 

For you descended into a great ignorance, 

but you have not been defiled by anything in it. 

For you descended into a great mindlessness, 

and your recollection remained. 

You walked in mud, 

and your garments were not soiled, 

and you have not been buried in their filth, 

and you have not been caught. 

And I was not like them, but I clothed myself with everything of theirs. 

There is in me forgetfulness, 

yet I remember things that are not theirs. 

There is in me ...., 

and I am in their .... 

... knowledge ... not in their sufferings .... But I have become afraid before them, since they rule. For what will they do? What will I be able to say? Or what word will I be able to say that I may escape them?" 

The Lord said, "James, I praise your understanding and your fear. If you continue to be distressed, do not be concerned for anything else except your redemption. For behold, I shall complete this destiny upon this earth as I have said from the heavens. And I shall reveal to you your redemption." 

James said, "Rabbi, how, after these things, will you appear to us again? After they seize you, and you complete this destiny, you will go up to Him-who-is." The Lord said, "James, after these things I shall reveal to you everything, not for your sake alone but for the sake of the unbelief of men, so that faith may exist in them. For a multitude will attain to faith and they will increase in .... And after this I shall appear for a reproof to the archons. And I shall reveal to them that he cannot be seized. If they seize him, then he will overpower each of them. But now I shall go. Remember the things I have spoken and let them go up before you." James said,"Lord, I shall hasten as you have said." The Lord said farewell to him and fulfilled what was fitting. 

When James heard of his suffering and was much distressed, they awaited the sign of his coming. And he came after several days. And James was walking upon the mountain which is called "Gaugelan", with his disciples, who listened to him because they had been distressed, and he was ... a comforter, saying, "This is ... second ..." Then the crowd dispersed, but James remained ... prayer ..., as was his custom. 

And the Lord appeared to him. Then he stopped (his) prayer and embraced him. He kissed him, saying, "Rabbi, I have found you! I have heard of your sufferings, which you endured. And I have been much distressed. My compassion you know. Therefore, on reflection, I was wishing that I would not see this people. They must be judged for these things that they have done. For these things that they have done are contrary to what is fitting." 

The Lord said, "James, do not be concerned for me or for this people. I am he who was within me. Never have I suffered in any way, nor have I been distressed. And this people has done me no harm. But this (people) existed as a type of the archons, and it deserved to be destroyed through them. But ... the archons, ... who has ... but since it ... angry with ... The just ... is his servant. Therefore your name is "James the Just". You see how you will become sober when you see me. And you stopped this prayer. Now since you are a just man of God, you have embraced me and kissed me. Truly I say to you that you have stirred up great anger and wrath against yourself. But (this has happened) so that these others might come to be." 

But James was timid (and) wept. And he was very distressed. And they both sat down upon a rock. The Lord said to him, "James, thus you will undergo these sufferings. But do not be sad. For the flesh is weak. It will receive what has been ordained for it. But as for you, do not be timid or afraid". The Lord ceased. 

Now when James heard these things, he wiped away the tears in his eyes and very bitter ... which is .... The Lord said to him, "James, behold, I shall reveal to you your redemption. When you are seized, and you undergo these sufferings, a multitude will arm themselves against you that <they> may seize you. And in particular three of them will seize you - they who sit (there) as toll collectors. Not only do they demand toll, but they also take away souls by theft. When you come into their power, one of them who is their guard will say to you, 'Who are you or where are you from?' You are to say to him, 'I am a son, and I am from the Father.' He will say to you, 'What sort of son are you, and to what father do you belong?' You are to say to him, 'I am from the Pre-existent Father, and a son in the Pre-existent One.' When he says to you, ..., you are to say to him ... in the ... that I might ...." 

'... of alien things?' You are to say to him, 'They are not entirely alien, but they are from Achamoth, who is the female. And these she produced as she brought down the race from the Pre-existent One. So then they are not alien, but they are ours. They are indeed ours because she who is mistress of them is from the Pre-existent One. At the same time they are alien because the Pre-existent One did not have intercourse with her, when she produced them.' When he also says to you, 'Where will you go?', you are to say to him, 'To the place from which I have come, there shall I return.' And if you say these things, you will escape their attacks. 

"But when you come to these three detainers who take away souls by theft in that place ... these. You ... a vessel ... much more than ... of the one whom you ... for ... her root. You too will be sober .... But I shall call upon the imperishable knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth. Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a female. She produced you without a male, since she was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then they will fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their mother. But you will go up to what is yours ... you will ... the Pre-existent One." 

"They are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs, ... Achamoth, which is translated 'Sophia'. And who I myself am, (and) who the imperishable Sophia (is) through whom you will be redeemed, and (who are) all the sons of Him-who-is - these things they have known and have hidden within them. You are to hide <these things> within you, and you are to keep silence. But you are to reveal them to Addai. When you depart, immediately war will be made with this land. Weep, then, for him who dwells in Jerusalem. But let Addai take these things to heart. In the tenth year let Addai sit and write them down. And when he writes them down ... and they are to give them ... he has the ... he is called Levi. Then he is to bring ... word ... from what I said earlier ... a woman ... Jerusalem in her ... and he begets two sons through her. They are to inherit these things and the understanding of him who ... exalts. And they are to receive ... through him from his intellect. Now, the younger of them is greater. And may these things remain hidden in him until he comes to the age of seventeen years ... beginning ... through them. They will pursue him exceedingly, since they are from his ... companions. He will be proclaimed through them, and they will proclaim this word. Then he will become a seed of ...." 

James said, "I am satisfied ... and they are ... my soul. Yet another thing I ask of you: who are the seven women who have been your disciples? And behold all women bless you. I also am amazed how powerless vessels have become strong by a perception which is in them." The Lord said, "You ... well ... a spirit of ..., a spirit of thought, a spirit of counsel of a ..., a spirit ... a spirit of knowledge ... of their fear. ... when we had passed through the breath of this archon who is named Adonaios ... him and ... he was ignorant ... when I came forth from him, he remembered that I am a son of his. He was gracious to me at that time as his son. And then, before <I> appeared here, <he> cast them among this people. And from the place of heaven the prophets ...." 

James said, "Rabbi, ... I ... all together ... in them especially ...." The Lord said, "James, I praise you ... walk upon the earth ... the words while he ... on the .... For cast away from you the cup which is bitterness. For some from ... set themselves against you. For you have begun to understand their roots from beginning to end. Cast away from yourself all lawlessness. And beware lest they envy you. When you speak these words of this perception, encourage these four: Salome and Mariam and Martha and Arsinoe ... since he takes some ... to me he is ... burnt offerings and .... But I ... not in this way; but ... first-fruits of the ... upward ... so that the power of God might appear. The perishable has gone up to the imperishable and the female element has attained to this male element." 

James said, "Rabbi, into these three (things), then, has their ... been cast. For they have been reviled, and they have been persecuted .... Behold ... everything ... from anyone .... For you have received ... of knowledge. And ... that what is the ... go ... you will find .... But I shall go forth and shall reveal that they believed in you, that they may be content with their blessing and salvation, and this revelation may come to pass." 

And he went at that time immediately and rebuked the twelve and cast out of them contentment concerning the way of knowledge .... 

.... And the majority of them ... when they saw, the messenger took in .... The others ... said, "... him from this earth. For he is not worthy of life." These, then, were afraid. They arose, saying, "We have no part in this blood, for a just man will perish through injustice" James departed so that ... look ... for we ... him.

It is the Lord who spoke with me: "See now the completion of my redemption. I have given you a sign of these things, James, my brother. For not without reason have I called you my brother, although you are not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant concerning you; so that when I give you a sign - know and hear." 

"Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and ineffable. I myself am also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I have been given a number of names - two from Him-who-is. And I, I am before you. Since you have asked concerning femaleness, femaleness existed, but femaleness was not first. And it prepared for itself powers and gods. But it did not exist when I came forth, since I am an image of Him-who-is. But I have brought forth the image of him so that the sons of Him-who-is might know what things are theirs and what things are alien (to them). Behold, I shall reveal to you everything of this mystery. For they will seize me the day after tomorrow. But my redemption will be near." 

James said, "Rabbi, you have said, 'they will seize me.' But I, what can I do?" He said to me, "Fear not, James. You too will they seize. But leave Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup of bitterness to the sons of light. She is a dwelling place of a great number of archons. But your redemption will be preserved from them. So that you may understand who they are and what kinds they are, you will .... And listen. They are not ... but archons .... These twelve ... down ... archons ... upon his own hebdomad." 

James said, "Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as there are in the scriptures?" The Lord said, "James, he who spoke concerning this scripture had a limited understanding. I, however, shall reveal to you what has come forth from him who has no number. I shall give a sign concerning their number. As for what has come forth from him who has no measure, I shall give a sign concerning their measure" 

James said, "Rabbi, behold then, I have received their number. There are seventy-two measures!" The Lord said, "These are the seventy-two heavens, which are their subordinates. These are the powers of all their might; and they were established by them; and these are they who were distributed everywhere, existing under the authority of the twelve archons. The inferior power among them brought forth for itself angels and unnumbered hosts. Him-who-is, however, has been given ... on account of ... Him-who-is ... they are unnumbered. If you want to give them a number now, you will not be able to do so until you cast away from your blind thought, this bond of flesh which encircles you. And then you will reach Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are the One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all have been named." 

<James said,>, "Rabbi, in what way shall I reach Him-who-is, since all these powers and these hosts are armed against me?" He said to me, "These powers are not armed against you specifically, but are armed against another. It is against me that they are armed. And they are armed with other powers. But they are armed against me in judgment. They did not give ... to me in it ... through them .... In this place ... suffering, I shall .... He will ... and I shall not rebuke them. But there shall be within me a silence and a hidden mystery. But I am fainthearted before their anger." 

James said, "Rabbi, if they arm themselves against you, then is there no blame?" 

You have come with knowledge, 

that you might rebuke their forgetfulness. 

You have come with recollection, 

that you might rebuke their ignorance. 

But I was concerned because of you. 

For you descended into a great ignorance, 

but you have not been defiled by anything in it. 

For you descended into a great mindlessness, 

and your recollection remained. 

You walked in mud, 

and your garments were not soiled, 

and you have not been buried in their filth, 

and you have not been caught. 

And I was not like them, but I clothed myself with everything of theirs. 

There is in me forgetfulness, 

yet I remember things that are not theirs. 

There is in me ...., 

and I am in their .... 

... knowledge ... not in their sufferings .... But I have become afraid before them, since they rule. For what will they do? What will I be able to say? Or what word will I be able to say that I may escape them?" 

The Lord said, "James, I praise your understanding and your fear. If you continue to be distressed, do not be concerned for anything else except your redemption. For behold, I shall complete this destiny upon this earth as I have said from the heavens. And I shall reveal to you your redemption." 

James said, "Rabbi, how, after these things, will you appear to us again? After they seize you, and you complete this destiny, you will go up to Him-who-is." The Lord said, "James, after these things I shall reveal to you everything, not for your sake alone but for the sake of the unbelief of men, so that faith may exist in them. For a multitude will attain to faith and they will increase in .... And after this I shall appear for a reproof to the archons. And I shall reveal to them that he cannot be seized. If they seize him, then he will overpower each of them. But now I shall go. Remember the things I have spoken and let them go up before you." James said,"Lord, I shall hasten as you have said." The Lord said farewell to him and fulfilled what was fitting. 

When James heard of his suffering and was much distressed, they awaited the sign of his coming. And he came after several days. And James was walking upon the mountain which is called "Gaugelan", with his disciples, who listened to him because they had been distressed, and he was ... a comforter, saying, "This is ... second ..." Then the crowd dispersed, but James remained ... prayer ..., as was his custom. 

And the Lord appeared to him. Then he stopped (his) prayer and embraced him. He kissed him, saying, "Rabbi, I have found you! I have heard of your sufferings, which you endured. And I have been much distressed. My compassion you know. Therefore, on reflection, I was wishing that I would not see this people. They must be judged for these things that they have done. For these things that they have done are contrary to what is fitting." 

The Lord said, "James, do not be concerned for me or for this people. I am he who was within me. Never have I suffered in any way, nor have I been distressed. And this people has done me no harm. But this (people) existed as a type of the archons, and it deserved to be destroyed through them. But ... the archons, ... who has ... but since it ... angry with ... The just ... is his servant. Therefore your name is "James the Just". You see how you will become sober when you see me. And you stopped this prayer. Now since you are a just man of God, you have embraced me and kissed me. Truly I say to you that you have stirred up great anger and wrath against yourself. But (this has happened) so that these others might come to be." 

But James was timid (and) wept. And he was very distressed. And they both sat down upon a rock. The Lord said to him, "James, thus you will undergo these sufferings. But do not be sad. For the flesh is weak. It will receive what has been ordained for it. But as for you, do not be timid or afraid". The Lord ceased. 

Now when James heard these things, he wiped away the tears in his eyes and very bitter ... which is .... The Lord said to him, "James, behold, I shall reveal to you your redemption. When you are seized, and you undergo these sufferings, a multitude will arm themselves against you that <they> may seize you. And in particular three of them will seize you - they who sit (there) as toll collectors. Not only do they demand toll, but they also take away souls by theft. When you come into their power, one of them who is their guard will say to you, 'Who are you or where are you from?' You are to say to him, 'I am a son, and I am from the Father.' He will say to you, 'What sort of son are you, and to what father do you belong?' You are to say to him, 'I am from the Pre-existent Father, and a son in the Pre-existent One.' When he says to you, ..., you are to say to him ... in the ... that I might ...." 

'... of alien things?' You are to say to him, 'They are not entirely alien, but they are from Achamoth, who is the female. And these she produced as she brought down the race from the Pre-existent One. So then they are not alien, but they are ours. They are indeed ours because she who is mistress of them is from the Pre-existent One. At the same time they are alien because the Pre-existent One did not have intercourse with her, when she produced them.' When he also says to you, 'Where will you go?', you are to say to him, 'To the place from which I have come, there shall I return.' And if you say these things, you will escape their attacks. 

"But when you come to these three detainers who take away souls by theft in that place ... these. You ... a vessel ... much more than ... of the one whom you ... for ... her root. You too will be sober .... But I shall call upon the imperishable knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth. Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a female. She produced you without a male, since she was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then they will fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their mother. But you will go up to what is yours ... you will ... the Pre-existent One." 

"They are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs, ... Achamoth, which is translated 'Sophia'. And who I myself am, (and) who the imperishable Sophia (is) through whom you will be redeemed, and (who are) all the sons of Him-who-is - these things they have known and have hidden within them. You are to hide <these things> within you, and you are to keep silence. But you are to reveal them to Addai. When you depart, immediately war will be made with this land. Weep, then, for him who dwells in Jerusalem. But let Addai take these things to heart. In the tenth year let Addai sit and write them down. And when he writes them down ... and they are to give them ... he has the ... he is called Levi. Then he is to bring ... word ... from what I said earlier ... a woman ... Jerusalem in her ... and he begets two sons through her. They are to inherit these things and the understanding of him who ... exalts. And they are to receive ... through him from his intellect. Now, the younger of them is greater. And may these things remain hidden in him until he comes to the age of seventeen years ... beginning ... through them. They will pursue him exceedingly, since they are from his ... companions. He will be proclaimed through them, and they will proclaim this word. Then he will become a seed of ...." 

James said, "I am satisfied ... and they are ... my soul. Yet another thing I ask of you: who are the seven women who have been your disciples? And behold all women bless you. I also am amazed how powerless vessels have become strong by a perception which is in them." The Lord said, "You ... well ... a spirit of ..., a spirit of thought, a spirit of counsel of a ..., a spirit ... a spirit of knowledge ... of their fear. ... when we had passed through the breath of this archon who is named Adonaios ... him and ... he was ignorant ... when I came forth from him, he remembered that I am a son of his. He was gracious to me at that time as his son. And then, before <I> appeared here, <he> cast them among this people. And from the place of heaven the prophets ...." 

James said, "Rabbi, ... I ... all together ... in them especially ...." The Lord said, "James, I praise you ... walk upon the earth ... the words while he ... on the .... For cast away from you the cup which is bitterness. For some from ... set themselves against you. For you have begun to understand their roots from beginning to end. Cast away from yourself all lawlessness. And beware lest they envy you. When you speak these words of this perception, encourage these four: Salome and Mariam and Martha and Arsinoe ... since he takes some ... to me he is ... burnt offerings and .... But I ... not in this way; but ... first-fruits of the ... upward ... so that the power of God might appear. The perishable has gone up to the imperishable and the female element has attained to this male element." 

James said, "Rabbi, into these three (things), then, has their ... been cast. For they have been reviled, and they have been persecuted .... Behold ... everything ... from anyone .... For you have received ... of knowledge. And ... that what is the ... go ... you will find .... But I shall go forth and shall reveal that they believed in you, that they may be content with their blessing and salvation, and this revelation may come to pass." 

And he went at that time immediately and rebuked the twelve and cast out of them contentment concerning the way of knowledge .... 

.... And the majority of them ... when they saw, the messenger took in .... The others ... said, "... him from this earth. For he is not worthy of life." These, then, were afraid. They arose, saying, "We have no part in this blood, for a just man will perish through injustice" James departed so that ... look ... for we ... him.

This is the discourse that James the Just spoke in Jerusalem, which Mareim, one of the priests, wrote. He had told it to Theuda, the father of the Just One, since he was a relative of his. He said, "Hasten! Come with Mary, your wife, and your relatives ... therefore ... of this ... to him, he will understand. For behold, a multitude are disturbed over his ..., and they are greatly angry at him. ... and they pray .... For he would often say these words and others also." 

"He used to speak these words while the multitude of people were seated. But (on this occasion) he entered and did <not> sit down in the place, as was his custom. Rather he sat above the fifth flight of steps, which is (highly) esteemed, while all our people ... the words ...." 

".... I am he who received revelation from the Pleroma of Imperishability. (I am) he who was first summoned by him who is great, and who obeyed the Lord - he who passed through the worlds ..., he who ..., he who stripped himself and went about naked, he who was found in a perishable (state), though he was about to be brought up into imperishability. - This Lord who is present came as a son who sees, and as a brother was he sought. He will come to ... produced him because ... and he unites ... make him free ... in ... he who came to ...." 

"Now again am I rich in knowledge and I have a unique understanding, which was produced only from above and the ... comes from a .... I am the ... whom I knew. That which was revealed to me was hidden from everyone and shall (only) be revealed through him. These two who see I <...> (and) they have already proclaimed through these words: "He shall be judged with the unrighteous". He who lived without blasphemy died by means of blasphemy. He who was cast out, they ...." 

"... the flesh and it is by knowledge that I shall come forth from the flesh. I am surely dying, but it is in life that I shall be found. I entered in order that they might judge ... I shall come forth in ... judge ... I do not bring blame against the servants of his .... I hasten to make them free and want to take them above him who wants to rule over them. If they are helped, I am the brother in secret, who prayed to the Father until he ... in ... reign ... imperishability ... first in ...." 

I am the first son who was begotten. - 

He will destroy the dominion of them all. - 

I am the beloved. 

I am the righteous one. 

I am the son of the Father. 

 

I speak even as I heard. 

I command even as I received the order. 

I show you even as I have found. 

Behold, I speak in order that I may come forth. Pay attention to me in order that you may see me! 

"If I have come into existence, who then am I? For I did <not> come as I am, nor would I have appeared as I am. For I used to exist for a brief period of time ...." 

"Once when I was sitting deliberating, he opened the door. That one whom you hated and persecuted came in to me. He said to me, "Hail, my brother; my brother, hail." As I raised my face to stare at him, (my) mother said to me, "Do not be frightened, my son, because he said 'My brother' to you (sg.). For you (pl.) were nourished with this same milk. Because of this he calls me "My mother". For he is not a stranger to us. He is your step-brother ...." 

"... these words ... great ... I shall find them, and they shall come forth. However, I am the stranger, and they have no knowledge of me in their thoughts, for they know me in this place. But it was fitting that others know through you. 

"<You are> the one to whom I say: Hear and understand - for a multitude, when they hear, will be slow witted. But you, understand as I shall be able to tell you. Your father is not my father. But my father has become a father to you. 

"This virgin about whom you hear - this is how ... virgin ... namely, the virgin. ..., how ... to me for ... to know ... not as ... whom I .... For this one (masc.) ... to him, and this also is profitable for you. Your father, whom you consider to be rich, shall grant that you inherit all these things that you see. 

"I proclaim to you to tell you these (words) that I shall speak. When you hear, therefore, open your ears and understand and walk (accordingly)! It is because of you that they pass by, activated by that one who is glorious. And if they want to make a disturbance and (seize) possession ... he began ... not, nor those who are coming, who were sent forth by him to make this present creation. After these things, when he is ashamed, he shall be disturbed that his labor, which is far from the aeons, is nothing. And his inheritance, which he boasted to be great, shall appear small. And his gifts are not blessings. His promises are evil schemes. For you are not an (instrument) of his compassion, but it is through you that he does violence. He wants to do injustice to us, and will exercise dominion for a time allotted to him. 

"But understand and know the Father who has compassion. He was not given an inheritance that was unlimited, nor does it have a (limited) number of days, but it is as the eternal day ... it is ... perceive .... And he used .... For in fact he is not one (come) from them, (and) because of this, he is despised. Because of this he boasts, so that he may not be reproved. For because of this he is superior to those who are below, those by whom you were looked down upon. After he imprisoned those from the Father, he seized them and fashioned them to resemble himself. And it is with him that they exist. 

"I saw from the height those things that happened, and I have explained how they happened. They were visited while they were in another form, and, while I was watching, they came to know <me> as I am, through those whom I know. 

"Now before those things have happened they will make a .... I know how they attempted to come down to this place that he might approach ... the small children, but I wish to reveal through you and the spirit of power, in order that he might reveal to those who are yours. And those who wish to enter, and who seek to walk in the way that is before the door, open the good door through you. And they follow you; they enter and you escort them inside, and give a reward to each one who is ready for it. 

For you are not the redeemer nor a helper of strangers. 

You are an illuminator and a redeemer of those who are mine, 

and now of those who are yours. 

You shall reveal (to them); you shall bring good among them all. 

 

You they shall admire because of every powerful (deed). 

You are he whom the heavens bless. 

You he shall envy, he who has called himself your Lord. 

I am the ... those who are instructed in these things with you. 

 

For your sake, they will be told these things, and will come to rest. 

For your sake, they will reign, and will become kings. 

For your sake, they will have pity on whomever they pity. 

 

For just as you are first having clothed yourself, 

you are also the first who will strip himself, 

and you shall become as you were before you were stripped." 

"And he kissed my mouth. He took hold of me, saying, "My beloved! Behold, I shall reveal to you those things that (neither) the heavens nor their archons have known. Behold, I shall reveal to you those things that he did not know, he who boasted, "... there is no other except me. Am I not alive? Because I am a father, do I not have power for everything?" Behold, I shall reveal to you everything, my beloved. Understand and know them, that you may come forth just as I am. Behold, I shall reveal to you him who is hidden. But now, stretch out your hand. Now, take hold of me." 

"And then I stretched out my hands and I did not find him as I thought (he would be). But afterward I heard him saying, "Understand and take hold of me." Then I understood, and I was afraid. And I was exceedingly joyful. 

"Therefore, I tell you judges, you have been judged. And you did not spare, but you were spared. Be sober and ... you did not know. 

He was that one whom he who created the heaven and the earth 

and dwelled in it, did not see. 

He was this one who is the life. 

He was the light. 

He was that one who will come to be. 

 

And again he shall provide an end for what has begun, 

and a beginning for what is about to be ended. 

He was the Holy Spirit and the Invisible One, 

who did not descend upon the earth. 

He was the virgin, and that which he wishes, happens to him. 

I saw that he was naked, and there was no garment clothing him. 

That which he wills, happens to him .... 

"Renounce this difficult way, which is (so) variable, and walk in accordance with him who desires that you become free men with me, after you have passed above every dominion. For he will not judge (you) for those things that you did, but will have mercy on you. For (it is) not you that did them, but it is your Lord (that did them). He was not a wrathful one, but he was a kind Father. 

"But you have judged yourselves, and because of this you will remain in their fetters. You have oppressed yourselves, and you will repent, (but) you will not profit at all. Behold him who speaks and seek him who is silent. Know him who came to this place, and understand him who went forth (from it). I am the Just One, and I do <not> judge. I am not a master, then, but I am a helper. He was cast out before he stretched out his hand. I .... 

"... and he allows me to hear. And play your trumpets, your flutes and your harps of this house. The Lord has taken you captive from the Lord, having closed your ears, that they may not hear the sound of my word. Yet you will be able to pay heed in your hearts, and you will call me 'the Just One.' Therefore, I tell you: Behold, I gave you your house, which you say that God has made - that (house) in which he promised to give you an inheritance through it. This (house) I shall doom to destruction and derision of those who are in ignorance. For behold, those who judge deliberarate ...." 

On that day all the people and the crowd were disturbed, and they showed that they had not been persuaded. And he arose and went forth speaking in this manner. And he entered (again) on that same day and spoke a few hours. And I was with the priests and revealed nothing of the relationship, since all of them were saying with one voice, 'Come, let us stone the Just One.' And they arose, saying, 'Yes, let us kill this man, that he may be taken from our midst. For he will be of no use to us.' 

And they were there and found him standing beside the columns of the temple beside the mighty corner stone. And they decided to throw him down from the height, and they cast him down. And they ... they .... They seized him and struck him as they dragged him upon the ground. They stretched him out and placed a stone on his abdomen. They all placed their feet on him, saying 'You have erred!' 

Again they raised him up, since he was alive, and made him dig a hole. They made him stand in it. After having covered him up to his abdomen, they stoned him in this manner. 

And he stretched out his hands and said this prayer - not that (one) which it is his custom to say: 

'My God and my father, 

who saved me from this dead hope, 

who made me alive through a mystery of what he wills, 

 

Do not let these days of this world be prolonged for me, 

but the day of your light ... remains 

in ... salvation. 

 

Deliver me from this place of sojourn! 

Do not let your grace be left behind in me, 

but may your grace become pure! 

 

Save me from an evil death! 

Bring me from a tomb alive, because your grace - 

love - is alive in me to accomplish a work of fullness! 

 

Save me from sinful flesh, 

because l trusted in you with all my strength, 

because you are the life of the life! 

 

Save me from a humiliating enemy! 

Do not give me into the hand of a judge who is severe with sin! 

Forgive me all my debts of the days (of my life)! 

 

Because I am alive in you, your grace is alive in me. 

I have renounced everyone, but you I have confessed. 

Save me from evil affliction! 

 

But now is the time and the hour. 

O Holy Spirit, send me salvation ... the light ... 

the light ... in a power ....' 

"After he spoke, he fell silent ... word ... afterward ... the discourse ...."

... the road. And he spoke to him, saying, "By which road shall I go up to Jerusalem?" The little child replied, saying, "Say your name, so that I may show you the road". The little child knew who Paul was. He wished to make conversation with him through his words in order that he might find an excuse for speaking with him. 

The little child spoke, saying, "I know who you are, Paul. You are he who was blessed from his mother`s womb. For I have come to you that you may go up to Jerusalem to your fellow apostles. And for this reason you were called. And I am the Spirit who accompanies you. Let your mind awaken, Paul, with .... For ... whole which ... among the principalities and these authorities and archangels and powers and the whole race of demons, ... the one that reveals bodies to a soul-seed." 

And after he brought that speech to an end, he spoke, saying to me, "Let your mind awaken, Paul, and see that this mountain upon which you are standing is the mountain of Jericho, so that you may know the hidden things in those that are visible. Now it is to the twelve apostles that you shall go, for they are elect spirits, and they will greet you." He raised his eyes and saw them greeting him. 

Then the Holy Spirit who was speaking with him caught him up on high to the third heaven, and he passed beyond to the fourth heaven. The Holy Spirit spoke to him, saying, "Look and see your likeness upon the earth." And he looked down and saw those who were upon the earth. He stared and saw those who were upon the .... Then he gazed down and saw the twelve apostles at his right and at his left in the creation; and the Spirit was going before them. 

But I saw in the fourth heaven according to class - I saw the angels resembling gods, the angels bringing a soul out of the land of the dead. They placed it at the gate of the fourth heaven. And the angels were whipping it. The soul spoke, saying, "What sin was it that I committed in the world?" The toll-collector who dwells in the fourth heaven replied, saying, "It was not right to commit all those lawless deeds that are in the world of the dead". The soul replied, saying, "Bring witnesses! Let them show you in what body I committed lawless deeds. Do you wish to bring a book to read from?" 

And the three witnesses came. The first spoke, saying, "Was I not in the body the second hour ...? I rose up against you until you fell into anger and rage and envy." And the second spoke, saying, "Was I not in the world? And I entered at the fifth hour, and I saw you and desired you. And behold, then, now I charge you with the murders you committed." The third spoke, saying, "Did I not come to you at the twelfth hour of the day when the sun was about to set? I gave you darkness until you should accomplish your sins." When the soul heard these things, it gazed downward in sorrow. And then it gazed upward. It was cast down. The soul that had been cast down went to a body which had been prepared for it. And behold, its witnesses were finished. 

Then I gazed upward and saw the Spirit saying to me, "Paul, come! Proceed toward me!". Then as I went, the gate opened, and I went up to the fifth heaven. And I saw my fellow apostles going with me while the Spirit accompanied us. And I saw a great angel in the fifth heaven holding an iron rod in his hand. There were three other angels with him, and I stared into their faces. But they were rivalling each other, with whips in their hands, goading the souls on to the judgment. But I went with the Spirit and the gate opened for me. 

Then we went up to the sixth heaven. And I saw my fellow apostles going with me, and the Holy Spirit was leading me before them. And I gazed up on high and saw a great light shining down on the sixth heaven. I spoke, saying to the toll-collector who was in the sixth heaven, "Open to me and the Holy Spirit who is before me." He opened to me. 

Then we went up to the seventh heaven, and I saw an old man ... light and whose garment was white. His throne, which is in the seventh heaven, was brighter than the sun by seven times. The old man spoke, saying to me, "Where are you going, Paul? O blessed one and the one who was set apart from his mother`s womb." But I looked at the Spirit, and he was nodding his head, saying to me, "Speak with him!". And I replied, saying to the old man, "I am going to the place from which I came." And the old man responded to me, "Where are you from?" But I replied, saying, "I am going down to the world of the dead in order to lead captive the captivity that was led captive in the captivity of Babylon." The old man replied to me saying, "How will you be able to get away from me? Look and see the principalities and authorities." The Spirit spoke, saying, "Give him the sign that you have, and he will open for you." And then I gave him the sign. He turned his face downwards to his creation and to those who are his own authorities. 

And then the <seventh> heaven opened and we went up to the Ogdoad. And I saw the twelve apostles. They greeted me, and we went up to the ninth heaven. I greeted all those who were in the ninth heaven, and we went up to the tenth heaven. And I greeted my fellow spirits.

As the Savior was sitting in the temple in the three hundredth (year) of the covenant and the agreement of the tenth pillar, and being satisfied with the number of the living, incorruptible Majesty, he said to me, "Peter, blessed are those above belonging to the Father, who revealed life to those who are from the life, through me, since I reminded they who are built on what is strong, that they may hear my word, and distinguish words of unrighteousness and transgression of law from righteousness, as being from the height of every word of this Pleroma of truth, having been enlightened in good pleasure by him whom the principalities sought. But they did not find him, nor was he mentioned among any generation of the prophets. He has now appeared among these, in him who appeared, who is the Son of Man, who is exalted above the heavens in a fear of men of like essence. But you yourself, Peter, become perfect in accordance with your name with myself, the one who chose you, because from you I have established a base for the remnant whom I have summoned to knowledge. Therefore be strong until the imitation of righteousness - of him who had summoned you, having summoned you to know him in a way which is worth doing because of the rejection which happened to him, and the sinews of his hands and his feet, and the crowning by those of the middle region, and the body of his radiance which they bring in hope of service because of a reward of honor - as he was about to reprove you three times in this night." 

And as he was saying these things, I saw the priests and the people running up to us with stones, as if they would kill us; and I was afraid that we were going to die. 

And he said to me, "Peter, I have told you many times that they are blind ones who have no guide. If you want to know their blindness, put your hands upon (your) eyes - your robe - and say what you see." 

But when I had done it, I did not see anything. I said "No one sees (this way)." 

Again he told me, "Do it again." 

And there came in me fear with joy, for I saw a new light greater than the light of day. Then it came down upon the Savior. And I told him about those things which I saw. 

And he said to me again, "Lift up your hands and listen to what the priests and the people are saying." 

And I listened to the priests as they sat with the scribes. The multitudes were shouting with their voice. 

When he heard these things from me he said to me, "Prick up your ears and listen to the things they are saying." 

And I listened again, "As you sit, they are praising you". 

And when I said these things, the Savior said, "I have told you that these (people) are blind and deaf. Now then, listen to the things which they are telling you in a mystery, and guard them, Do not tell them to the sons of this age. For they shall blaspheme you in these ages since they are ignorant of you, but they will praise you in knowledge." 

"For many will accept our teaching in the beginning. And they will turn from them again by the will of the Father of their error, because they have done what he wanted. And he will reveal them in his judgment, i.e., the servants of the Word. But those who became mingled with these shall become their prisoners, since they are without perception. And the guileless, good, pure one they push to the worker of death, and to the kingdom of those who praise Christ in a restoration. And they praise the men of the propagation of falsehood, those who will come after you. And they will cleave to the name of a dead man, thinking that they will become pure. But they will become greatly defiled and they will fall into a name of error, and into the hand of an evil, cunning man and a manifold dogma, and they will be ruled without law." 

"For some of them will blaspheme the truth and proclaim evil teaching. And they will say evil things against each other. Some will be named: (those) who stand in (the) strength of the archons, of a man and a naked woman who is manifold and subject to much suffering. And those who say these things will ask about dreams. And if they say that a dream came from a demon worthy of their error, then they shall be given perdition instead of incorruption." 

"For evil cannot produce good fruit. For the place from which each of them is produces that which is like itself; for not every soul is of the truth, nor of immortality. For every soul of these ages has death assigned to it in our view, because it is always a slave, since it is created for its desires and their eternal destruction, in which they are and from which they are. They love the creatures of the matter which came forth with them." 

"But the immortal souls are not like these, O Peter. But indeed, as long as the hour is not yet come, it (the immortal soul) shall resemble a mortal one. But it shall not reveal its nature, that it alone is the immortal one, and thinks about immortality, having faith, and desiring to renounce these things." 

"For people do not gather figs from thorns or from thorn trees, if they are wise, nor grapes from thistles. For, on the one hand, that which is always becoming is in that from which it is, being from what is not good, which becomes destruction for it and death. But that which comes to be in the Eternal One is in the One of the life and the immortality of the life which they resemble." 

"Therefore all that which exists not will dissolve into what exists not. For deaf and blind ones join only with their own kind." 

"But others shall change from evil words and misleading mysteries. Some who do not understand mystery speak of things which they do not understand, but they will boast that the mystery of the truth is theirs alone. And in haughtiness they shall grasp at pride, to envy the immortal soul which has become a pledge. For every authority, rule, and power of the aeons wishes to be with these in the creation of the world, in order that those who are not, having been forgotten by those that are, may praise them, though they have not been saved, nor have they been brought to the Way by them, always wishing that they may become imperishable ones. For if the immortal soul receives power in an intellectual spirit -. But immediately they join with one of those who misled them." 

"But many others, who oppose the truth and are the messengers of error, will set up their error and their law against these pure thoughts of mine, as looking out from one (perspective) thinking that good and evil are from one (source). They do business in my word. And they will propagate harsh fate. The race of immortal souls will go in it in vain, until my Parousia. For they shall come out of them - and my forgiveness of their transgressions, into which they fell through their adversaries, whose ransom I got from the slavery in which they were, to give them freedom that they may create an imitation remnant in the name of a dead man, who is Hermas, of the first-born of unrighteousness, in order that the light which exists may not believed by the little ones. But those of this sort are the workers who will be cast into the outer darkness, away from the sons of light. For neither will they enter, nor do they permit those who are going up to their approval for their release." 

"And still others of them who suffer think that they will perfect the wisdom of the brotherhood which really exists, which is the spiritual fellowship of those united in communion, through which the wedding of incorruptibility shall be revealed. The kindred race of the sisterhood will appear as an imitation. These are the ones who oppress their brothers, saying to them, "Through this our God has pity, since salvation comes to us through this," not knowing the punishment of those who are made glad by those who have done this thing to the little ones whom they saw, (and) whom they took prisoner." 

"And there shall be others of those who are outside our number who name themselves bishop and also deacons, as if they have received their authority from God. They bend themselves under the judgment of the leaders. Those people are dry canals." 

But I said " I am afraid because of what you have told me, that indeed little (ones) are, in our view, the counterfeit ones, indeed, that there are multitudes that will mislead other multitudes of living ones, and destroy them among themselves. And when they speak your name they will be believed." 

The Savior said, "For a time determined for them in proportion to their error they will rule over the little ones. And after the completion of the error, the never-aging one of the immortal understanding shall become young, and they (the little ones) shall rule over those who are their rulers. The root of their error he shall pluck out, and he shall put it to shame so that it shall be manifest in all the impudence which it has assumed to itself. And such ones shall become unchangeable, O Peter." 

"Come therefore, let us go on with the completion of the will of the incorruptible Father. For behold, those who will bring them judgment are coming, and they will put them to shame. But me they cannot touch. And you, O Peter, shall stand in their midst. Do not be afraid because of your cowardice. Their minds shall be closed, for the invisible one has opposed them." 

When he had said those things, I saw him seemingly being seized by them. And I said "What do I see, O Lord? That it is you yourself whom they take, and that you are grasping me? Or who is this one, glad and laughing on the tree? And is it another one whose feet and hands they are striking?" 

The Savior said to me, "He whom you saw on the tree, glad and laughing, this is the living Jesus. But this one into whose hands and feet they drive the nails is his fleshly part, which is the substitute being put to shame, the one who came into being in his likeness. But look at him and me." 

But I, when I had looked, said "Lord, no one is looking at you. Let us flee this place." 

But he said to me, "I have told you, 'Leave the blind alone!'. And you, see how they do not know what they are saying. For the son of their glory instead of my servant, they have put to shame." 

And I saw someone about to approach us resembling him, even him who was laughing on the tree. And he was <filled> with a Holy Spirit, and he is the Savior. And there was a great, ineffable light around them, and the multitude of ineffable and invisible angels blessing them. And when I looked at him, the one who gives praise was revealed. 

And he said to me, "Be strong, for you are the one to whom these mysteries have been given, to know them through revelation, that he whom they crucified is the first-born, and the home of demons, and the stony vessel in which they dwell, of Elohim, of the cross, which is under the Law. But he who stands near him is the living Savior, the first in him, whom they seized and released, who stands joyfully looking at those who did him violence, while they are divided among themselves. Therefore he laughs at their lack of perception, knowing that they are born blind. So then the one susceptible to suffering shall come, since the body is the substitute. But what they released was my incorporeal body. But I am the intellectual Spirit filled with radiant light. He whom you saw coming to me is our intellectual Pleroma, which unites the perfect light with my Holy Spirit." 

"These things, then, which you saw you shall present to those of another race who are not of this age. For there will be no honor in any man who is not immortal, but only (in) those who were chosen from an immortal substance, which has shown that it is able to contain him who gives his abundance. Therefore I said, 'Every one who has, it will be given to him, and he will have plenty.' But he who does not have, that is, the man of this place, who is completely dead, who is removed from the planting of the creation of what is begotten, whom, if one of the immortal essence appears, they think that they possess him - it will be taken from him and be added to the one who is. You, therefore, be courageous and do not fear at all. For I shall be with you in order that none of your enemies may prevail unto you. Peace be to you, Be strong!" 

When he (Jesus) had said these things, he (Peter) came to himself.

You have asked me to send you a secret book revealed to Peter and me by the master, and I could not turn you down, nor could I speak to you, so I have written it in Hebrew  and have sent it to you, and to you alone. But since you are a minister of the salvation of the saints, try to be careful not to reveal to many people this book that the savior did not want to reveal even to all of us, his twelve students. Nonetheless, those who will be saved through the faith of this treatise will be blessed. 

Ten months ago I sent you another secret book  that the savior revealed to me. Think of that book as revealed to me, James. But this one. . . . 

Now, the twelve students were all sitting together, recalling what the savior had said to each of them, whether in a hidden or an open manner, and organizing it in books.  I was writing what is in my book. Look, the savior appeared, after he had left us, while we were watching for him. 

Five hundred fifty days  after he rose from the dead, we said to him, “Did you depart and leave us?” 

Jesus said, “No, but I shall return to the place from which I came. If you want to come with me, come.” 

They all answered and said, “If you order us, we shall come.” 

He said, “I tell you the truth, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven because I ordered it, but rather because you yourselves are filled. Leave James and Peter to me that I may fill them.” 

When he called the two of them, he took them aside and commanded the rest to keep doing what they were doing. 

The savior said, “You have been treated kindly, 

. . . have not understood. 

Do you not want to be filled? 

Your hearts are drunk. 

Do you not want to be sober? 

You ought to be ashamed. 

“From now on, awake or asleep, remember that you have seen the human son  and have spoken with him and have listened to him. 

“Shame on those who have seen the human son. 

“Blessings will be on you who have not seen him, or associated with him, or spoken with him, or listened to anything from him. Yours is life. 

“Understand that he healed you when you were sick, that you might reign. 

“Shame on those who have found relief from their sickness, for they will relapse into sickness. 

“Blessings on you who have not been sick, and have known relief before getting sick. The kingdom of god is yours. 

“So I tell you: Be filled and leave no space in you empty, or he who is coming will mock you.” 

Then Peter answered, “Look, three times you have told us, ‘Be filled,’ but we are filled.” 

The savior answered and said, “For this reason I have told you, ‘Be filled,’ that you may not lack. Those who lack will not be saved. To be filled is good and to lack is bad. Yet since it is also good for you to lack but bad for you to be filled, whoever is filled also lacks. One who lacks is not filled in the way another who lacks is filled, but whoever is filled is brought to an appropriate end. So you should lack when you can fill yourselves and be filled when you lack, that you may be able to fill yourselves more. Be filled with spirit but lack in reason, for reason is of the soul. It is soul.”

I answered and said to him, “Master, we can obey you if you wish, for we have forsaken our fathers and our mothers and our villages, and followed you. Give us the means not to be tempted by the evil devil.” 

The master answered and said, “What good is it to you if you do the father’s will but you are not given your part of his bounty when you are tempted by Satan? But if you are oppressed by Satan and persecuted and do the father’s will, I say he will love you, make you my equal, and consider you beloved through his forethought,  and by your own choice. Won’t you stop loving the flesh and fearing suffering? Don’t you know that you have not yet been abused, unjustly accused, locked up in prison, unlawfully condemned, crucified without reason,  or buried in the sand  as I myself was by the evil one? Do you dare to spare the flesh, O you for whom the spirit is a wall surrounding you? If you consider how long the world has existed before you and how long it will exist after you, you will see that your life is but a day and your sufferings an hour. The good will not enter the world. Disdain death, then, and care about life. Remember my cross and my death, and you will live.” 

I answered and said to him, “Master, do not mention to us the cross and death, for they are far from you.” 

The master answered and said, “I tell you the truth, none will be saved unless they believe in my cross, for the kingdom of god belongs to those who have believed in my cross. Be seekers of death, then, like the dead who seek life, for what they seek becomes apparent to them. And what is there to cause them concern? As for you, when you search out death, it will teach you about being chosen. I tell you the truth: No one afraid of death will be saved, for the kingdom of death  belongs to those who are put to death.  Become better than I. Be like the child of the holy spirit.” 

Then I asked him, “Master, can we prophesy to those who ask us to prophesy to them? There are many who bring a request to us and look to us to hear our pronouncement.” 

The master answered and said, “Do you not know that the head of prophecy was cut off with John?” 

But I said, “Master, is it not impossible to remove the head of prophecy?” 

The master said to me, “When you realize what ‘head’ means, and that prophecy comes from the head, then understand the meaning of ‘its head was removed.’ 

“First I spoke with you in parables, and you did not understand. Now I am speaking with you openly, and you do not grasp it. Nevertheless, you were for me a parable among parables and a disclosure among things revealed. 

“Be eager to be saved without being urged. Rather, be fervent on your own and, if possible, outdo even me, for this is how the father will love you. 

“Come to hate hypocrisy and evil intention. Intention produces hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is far from truth. 

“Do not let the kingdom of heaven wither away. It is like a palm shoot whose dates dropped around it. It produced buds, and after they grew, its productivity dried up. This is also what happened with fruit that came from this single root. After it was harvested, fruit was obtained by many. It certainly was good. Is it not possible to produce the new growth now, and for you to find it? 

“Since I was glorified like this once before, why do you hold me back when I am eager to go? After my labor  you have made me stay with you another eighteen days  because of the parables. For some people it was enough to listen to the teaching and understand ‘The Shepherds,’ ‘The Seed,’ ‘The Building,’ ‘The Lamps of the Young Women,’ ‘The Wage of the Workers,’ and ‘The Silver Coins and the Woman.’ 

“Be eager for the word. The first aspect of the word is faith, the second is love, the third is works, and from these comes life. 

“The word is like a grain of wheat. When someone sowed it, he had faith in it, and when it sprouted, he loved it, because he saw many grains instead of just one. And after he worked, he was saved because he prepared it as food and he still kept some out to sow. 

“This is also how you can acquire the kingdom of heaven for yourselves. Unless you acquire it through knowledge,  you will not be able to find it.” 

“So I say to you, be sober. Do not go astray. And often have I said to you all together, and also to you alone, James, be saved. I have commanded you to follow me, and I have taught you how to speak before the rulers. 

“See that I have come down and have spoken and have exerted myself and have won my crown when I saved you. I came down to live with you, so you might also live with me. And when I found that your houses had no roofs, I lived in houses that could receive me when I came down. 

“Trust me, my brothers. Understand what the great light is. The father does not need me. A father does not need a son, but it is the son who needs the father. To him I am going, for the father of the son is not in need of you. 

“Listen to the word, understand knowledge, love life, and no one will persecute you and no one will oppress you other than you yourselves.” 

“You wretches! You poor devils! You pretenders to truth! You falsifiers of knowledge! You sinners against the spirit! Do you still dare to listen when from the beginning you should have been speaking? Do you still dare to sleep when from the beginning you should have been awake so that the kingdom of heaven might receive you? I tell you the truth, it is easier for a holy person to sink into defilement, and for an enlightened person to sink into darkness, than for you to reign—or not to reign. 

“I remember your tears, your mourning, and your grief. They are far from us. You who are outside the father’s inheritance, weep when you should, mourn, and preach what is good. As is proper, the son is ascending. 

“I tell you the truth, if I had been sent to those who would listen to me and had spoken with them, I would never have come down to earth. Now be ashamed. 

“Look, I shall be leaving you and go away. I do not want to stay with you any longer just as you yourselves have not wanted this. Follow me quickly. I tell you, for you I came down. You are loved ones. You will bring life to many people. Invoke the father, pray to god frequently, and he will be generous with you. 

“Blessings on one who has seen you with him when he is proclaimed among the angels and glorified among the saints. Yours is life. Rejoice and be glad as children of god. Observe his will that you may be saved. Accept correction from me and save yourselves. I am mediating for you with the father, and he will forgive you many things.” 

When we heard this, we were delighted. We had become gloomy because of what we  said earlier. But when he saw us happy, he said, 

“Shame on you who are in need of an advocate. 

“Shame on you who stand in need of grace. 

“Blessings will be on those who have spoken out and acquired grace for themselves. 

“Compare yourselves to foreigners. How are they viewed in your city? Why are you anxious to banish yourselves on your own and distance yourselves from your city? Why abandon your dwelling on your own and make it available for those who want to live in it? O you exiles and runaways, shame on you. You will be captured. 

“Or maybe you think that the father is a lover of people, or that he is won over by prayers, or that he is gracious to one because of another, or that he tolerates whoever is seeking? 

“He  knows about desire and what the flesh needs. Does it not desire the soul? The body does not sin apart from the soul just as the soul is not saved apart from the spirit. But if the soul is saved from evil and the spirit too is saved, the body becomes sinless. The spirit animates the soul but the body kills it. The soul kills itself. 

“I tell you the truth, he will never forgive the sin of the soul or the guilt of the flesh, for none of those who have worn the flesh will be saved. Do you think that many have found the kingdom of heaven? 

“Blessings on one who has seen oneself as a fourth one in heaven.” 

When we heard this, we became sad. But when he saw that we were sad, he said, “I say this to you that you may know yourselves. 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a head of grain that sprouted in a field. And when it was ripe, it scattered its seed, and again it filled the field with heads of grain for another year. So with you, be eager to harvest for yourselves a head of the grain of life that you may be filled with the kingdom. 

“And as long as I am with you, pay attention to me and trust in me, but when I am far from you, remember me. And remember me because I was with you and you did not know me. 

“Blessings will be on those who have known me. 

“Shame on those who have heard and have not believed. 

“Blessings will be on those who have not seen but yet have believed. 

“And once again I appeal to you. I am disclosed to you as I am building a house useful to you when you find shelter in it, and it will support  your neighbors’ house when theirs threatens to collapse. 

“I tell you the truth, shame on those for whom I was sent down here. 

“Blessings will be on those who are going up to the father. 

“Again I warn you, you who are. Be like those who are not, that you may be with those who are not. 

“Do not let the kingdom of heaven become a desert within you. Do not be proud because of the light that enlightens. Rather, act toward yourselves as I myself have toward you. I have put myself under a curse for you to save you.” 

Peter responded to these comments and said, “Sometimes you urge us on toward the kingdom of heaven, but at other times you turn us away, master. Sometimes you encourage us, draw us toward faith, and promise us life, but at other times you drive us away from the kingdom of heaven.” 

The master answered and said to us, “I have offered you faith many times—and have revealed myself to you, James—and you have not known me. Now I see you often rejoicing. And although you are delighted about the promise of life, you are sad and gloomy when you are taught about the kingdom. 

“Nevertheless, you, through faith and knowledge, have received life. So disregard rejection when you hear it, but when you hear about the promise, be joyful all the more. 

“I tell you the truth, whoever will receive life and believe in the kingdom will never leave it, not even if the father wants to banish him. 

“This is all I shall tell you at this time. Now I shall ascend to the place from which I have come. When I was eager to go, you have driven me off, and instead of accompanying me, you have chased me away. 

“Be attentive to the glory that awaits me, and when you have opened your hearts, listen to the hymns that await me up in heaven. Today I must take my place at the right hand of my father. 

“I have spoken my last word to you; I shall depart from you, for a chariot of spirit  has carried me up, and from now on I shall strip that I may be clothed. 

“Pay attention: Blessings on those who have proclaimed the son before he came down, so that, when I did come, I might ascend. 

“Blessings three times over on those who were proclaimed by the son before they came into being, so that you might share with them.” 

When he said this, he left. We knelt down, Peter and I, and gave thanks and sent our hearts up to heaven. We heard with our ears and saw with our eyes the noise of wars, a trumpet blast, and great turmoil. 

When we passed beyond that place, we sent our minds up further. We saw with our eyes and heard with our ears hymns, angelic praises and angelic rejoicing. Heavenly majesties were singing hymns, and we rejoiced too. 

Again after this we wished to send our spirits up to the majesty. When we ascended, we were not allowed to see or hear anything. The other students called to us and asked us, “What did you hear from the teacher? What did he tell you? Where did he go?” 

We answered them, “He ascended. He gave us his right hand, and promised all of us life. He showed us children coming after us, having commanded us to love them, since we are to be saved for their sakes.” 

When they heard this, they believed the revelation, but they were angry about those who would be born. Not wishing to give them reason to take offense, I sent each of them to a different location. I myself went up to Jerusalem, praying that I might acquire a share with the loved ones who are to come. 

I pray that the beginning may come from you.  This is how I can be saved. They will be enlightened through me, by my faith, and through another’s that is better than mine. I wish mine to be the lesser. 

Do your best to be like them, and pray that you may acquire a share with them. Beyond what I have said, the savior did not disclose any revelation to us on their behalf. We proclaim a share with those for whom the message was proclaimed, those whom the lord has made his children.

One day when John the brother of James, the sons of Zebedee, went up to the temple, it happened that a Pharisee named Arimanios  came up to him and said to him, Where is your teacher, whom you followed? 

I said to him, He has returned to the place from which he came. 

The Pharisee said to me, This Nazarene has deceived you badly, filled your ears with lies, closed your minds, and turned you from the traditions of your parents. 

When I, John, heard this, I turned away from the temple and went to a mountainous and barren place. I was distressed within, and I said, 

How was the savior selected? 

Why was he sent into the world by his father? 

Who is his father who sent him? 

To what kind of eternal realm shall we go? 

And what was he saying when he told us, 
This eternal realm to which you will go is modeled 
after the incorruptible realm, 
but he did not teach us what kind of realm that one is? 

At the moment I was thinking about this, look, the heavens opened, all creation under heaven lit up, and the world shook.  I was afraid, and look, I saw within the light a child standing by me. As I was staring, it seemed to be an elderly person. Again it changed its appearance to be a youth. Not that there were several figures before me. Rather, there was a figure with several forms within the light. These forms appeared through each other, and the figure had three forms. 

The figure said to me, John, John, why are you doubting? Why are you afraid? Are you not familiar with this figure? Then do not be fainthearted. I am with you always. I am the father, I am the mother, I am the child. I am the incorruptible and the undefiled one.  Now I have come to teach you what is, what was, and what is to come,  that you may understand what is invisible and what is visible; and to teach you about the unshakable race of perfect humankind.  So now, lift up your head that you may understand the things I shall tell you today, and that you may relate them to your spiritual friends, who are from the unshakable race of perfect humankind. 

I asked if I might understand this, and it said to me, The One  is a sovereign that has nothing over it. It is god and father of all, the invisible one that is over all, that is incorruptible, that is pure light at which no eye can gaze. 

The One is the invisible spirit. We should not think of it as a god or like a god. For it is greater than a god, because it has nothing over it and no lord above it.  It does not exist within anything inferior to it, since everything exists within it alone.  It is eternal, since it does not need anything. For it is absolutely complete. It has never lacked anything in order to be completed by it. Rather, it is always absolutely complete in light. The One is 

illimitable, since there is nothing before it to limit it, 
unfathomable, since there is nothing before it to fathom it, 
immeasurable, since there was nothing before it to measure it, 
invisible, since nothing has seen it, 
eternal, since it exists eternally, 
unutterable, since nothing could comprehend it to utter it, 
unnamable, since there is nothing before it to give it a name. 

The One is the immeasurable light, pure, holy, immaculate. The One is unutterable and is perfect in incorruptibility. Not that it is part of perfection or blessedness or divinity: it is much greater. 

The One is not corporeal and is not incorporeal. 

The One is not large and is not small. 

It is impossible to say, 

“How much is it? 
What kind is it?” 

For no one can understand it. 

The One is not among the things that exist, but it is much greater. Not that it is greater.  Rather, as it is in itself, it is not a part of the eternal realms or of time. For whatever is part of a realm was once prepared by another. Time was not allotted to it, since it receives nothing from anyone: what would be received would be on loan. The one who is first does not need to receive anything from another. Such a one beholds itself in its light. 

The One is majestic and has an immeasurable purity. 

The One is a realm that gives a realm, life that gives life, a blessed one that gives blessedness, knowledge that gives knowledge, a good one that gives goodness, mercy that gives mercy and redemption, grace that gives grace. 

Not as if the One possesses all this. Rather, it is that the One gives immeasurable and incomprehensible light. 

What shall I tell you about it? Its eternal realm is incorruptible, at peace, dwelling in silence, at rest, before everything. 

It is the head of all realms, and it sustains them through its goodness. 

We would not know what is ineffable, we would not understand what is immeasurable, were it not for what has come from the father. This is the one who has told these things to us alone. 

Now, this father is the One who beholds himself in the light surrounding him, which is the spring of living water, and provides all the realms. He reflects on his image everywhere, sees it in the spring of the spirit, and becomes enamored of his luminous water, for his image is in the spring of pure luminous water surrounding him. 

The father’s thought became a reality, and she who appeared in the presence of the father in shining light came forth. She is the first power who preceded everything and came forth from the father’s mind as the forethought of all. Her light shines like the father’s light; she, the perfect power, is the image of the perfect and invisible virgin spirit. 

She, the first power, the glory of Barbelo, the perfect glory among the realms, the glory of revelation, she glorified and praised the virgin spirit, for because of the spirit she had come forth. 

She is the first thought, the image of the spirit. She became the universal womb, for she precedes everything, 

the mother-father, 
the first human, 
the holy spirit, 
the triple male, 
the triple power, 
the androgynous one with three names, 
the eternal realm among the invisible beings, 
the first to come forth. 

Barbelo asked the invisible virgin spirit to give her foreknowledge, and the spirit consented. When the spirit consented, foreknowledge appeared and stood by forethought. This is the one who came from the thought of the invisible virgin spirit.  Foreknowledge glorified the spirit and the spirit’s perfect power, Barbelo, for because of her, foreknowledge had come into being. 

She asked again to be given incorruptibility, and the spirit consented. When the spirit consented, incorruptibility appeared and stood by thought and foreknowledge. Incorruptibility glorified the invisible one and Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being. 

Barbelo asked to be given life eternal, and the invisible spirit consented. When the spirit consented, life eternal appeared, and they stood together and glorified the invisible spirit and Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being. 

She asked again to be given truth, and the invisible spirit consented. Truth appeared, and they stood together and glorified the good invisible spirit and its Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being. 

This is the father’s realm of five. It is: 

the first human, the image of the invisible spirit, that is, forethought, which is Barbelo, and thought, 
along with foreknowledge, 
incorruptibility, 
life eternal, 
truth. 

This is the androgynous realm of five, which is the realm of ten, which is the father. 

The father gazed into Barbelo, with the pure light surrounding the invisible spirit, and its radiance. Barbelo conceived from it, and it produced a spark of light similar to the blessed light but not as great. This was the only child of the mother-father that had come forth, its only offspring, the only child of the father, the pure light.  The invisible virgin spirit rejoiced over the light that was produced, that came forth first from the first power of the spirit’s forethought, who is Barbelo. The spirit anointed it with its own goodness until it was perfect, with no lack of goodness, since it was anointed with the goodness of the invisible spirit. The child stood in the presence of the spirit as the spirit anointed the child. When the child received this from the spirit, at once it glorified the holy spirit and perfect forethought. Because of her it had come forth. 

The child asked to be given mind  as a companion to work with, and the spirit consented. When the invisible spirit consented, mind appeared and stood by the anointed, and glorified the spirit  and Barbelo. 

All these beings came into existence in silence. 

Mind wished to create something by means of the word of the invisible spirit.  Its will became a reality and appeared, with mind and the light, glorifying it. Word followed will. For the anointed, the self-conceived god,  created everything by the word. Life eternal, will, mind, and foreknowledge stood together and glorified the invisible spirit and Barbelo, for because of her they had come into being. 

The holy spirit brought the self-conceived divine child of itself and Barbelo to perfection, so that the child might stand before the great, invisible virgin spirit as the self-conceived god, the anointed, who honored the spirit  with loud acclaim. The child came forth through forethought. The invisible virgin spirit set the true, self-conceived god over everything, and caused all authority and the truth within to be subject to it, so that the child might understand everything, the one called by a name greater than every name, for that name will be told to those who are worthy of it. 

Now, from the light, which is the anointed, and from incorruptibility, by the grace of the spirit, the four luminaries that derive from the self-conceived god gazed out  in order to stand before it. The three beings are: 

will, 
thought, 
life. 

The four powers are: 

understanding, 
grace, 
perception, 
thoughtfulness. 

Grace dwells in the eternal realm of the luminary Harmozel, who is the first angel.  There are three other realms with this eternal realm: 

grace, 
truth, 
form. 

The second luminary is Oroiael, who has been appointed over the second eternal realm. There are three other realms with it: 

afterthought, 
perception, 
memory. 

The third luminary is Daveithai, who has been appointed over the third eternal realm. There are three other realms with it: 

understanding, 
love, 
idea. 

The fourth eternal realm has been set up for the fourth luminary, Eleleth. There are three other realms with it: 

perfection, 
peace, 
Sophia. 

These are the four luminaries that stand before the self-conceived god; these are the twelve eternal realms that stand before the child of the great self-conceived, the anointed,  by the will and grace of the invisible spirit. The twelve realms belong to the child of the self-conceived one, and everything was established by the will of the holy spirit through the self-conceived one. 

Now, from the foreknowledge of the perfect mind, through the expressed will of the invisible spirit and the will of the self-conceived one, came the perfect human, the first revelation, the truth. The virgin spirit named the human Geradamas  and appointed Geradamas to the first eternal realm with the great self-conceived, the anointed, by the first luminary, Harmozel. Its powers dwell with it. The invisible one gave Geradamas an unconquerable power of mind. 

Geradamas spoke and glorified and praised the invisible spirit by saying, 

“Because of you everything has come into being, and to you everything will return. 

“I shall praise and glorify you, and the self-conceived, and the eternal realms, 
the three—father, mother, child, the perfect power.” 

Geradamas appointed his son Seth to the second eternal realm, before the second luminary, Oroiael. 

In the third eternal realm were stationed the offspring of Seth,  with the third luminary, Daveithai. The souls of the saints were stationed there. 

In the fourth eternal realm were stationed the souls of those who were ignorant of the fullness. They did not repent immediately but held out for a while and repented later. They came to be with the fourth luminary, Eleleth, and they are creatures that glorify the invisible spirit. 

Now, Sophia, who is the wisdom of afterthought and who constitutes an eternal realm, conceived of a thought from herself, with the conception of the invisible spirit and foreknowledge. She wanted to bring forth something like herself, without the consent of the spirit, who had not given approval, without her partner and without his consideration.  The male did not give approval. She did not find her partner, and she considered this without the spirit’s consent and without the knowledge of her partner. Nonetheless, she gave birth. And because of the invincible power within her, her thought was not an idle thought. Something came out of her that was imperfect and different in appearance from her, for she had produced it without her partner. It did not resemble its mother and was misshapen. 

When Sophia saw what her desire had produced, it changed into the figure of a snake with the face of a lion. Its eyes were like flashing bolts of lightning. She cast it away from her, outside that realm so that none of the immortals would see it. She had produced it ignorantly. 

She surrounded it with a bright cloud and put a throne in the middle of the cloud so that no one would see it except the holy spirit, who is called the mother of the living. She named her offspring Yaldabaoth. 

Yaldabaoth is the first ruler, who took great power from his mother. Then he left her and moved away from the place where he was born. He took control and created for himself other realms with luminous fire, which still exists. He mated with the mindlessness  in him and produced authorities for himself: 

The name of the first is Athoth, whom generations call the reaper. 
The second is Harmas, who is the jealous eye. 
The third is Kalila-Oumbri. 
The fourth is Yabel. 
The fifth is Adonaios, who is called Sabaoth. 
The sixth is Cain, whom generations of people call the sun. 
The seventh is Abel. 
The eighth is Abrisene. 
The ninth is Yobel. The tenth is Armoupieel. 
The eleventh is Melcheir-Adonein. 
The twelfth is Belias, who is over the depth of the underworld. 

Yaldabaoth stationed seven kings, one for each sphere of heaven, to reign over the seven heavens, and five to reign over the depth of the abyss.  He shared his fire with them, but he did not give away any of the power of the light that he had taken from his mother. For he is ignorant darkness. 

When light mixed with darkness, it made the darkness shine. When darkness mixed with light, it dimmed the light and became neither light nor darkness, but rather gloom. 

This gloomy ruler has three names: the first name is Yaldabaoth, the second is Sakla, the third is Samael. 

He is wicked in his mindlessness that is in him. He said, I am god and there is no other god but me,  since he did not know where his own strength had come from. 

The rulers created seven powers for themselves, and the powers created six angels apiece, until there were 365 angels.  These are the names and the corresponding appearances: 

The first is Athoth and has the face of sheep. 
The second is Eloaios and has the face of a donkey. 
The third is Astaphaios and has the face of a hyena. 
The fourth is Yao and has the face of a snake with seven heads. 
The fifth is Sabaoth and has the face of a snake. 
The sixth is Adonin and has the face of an ape. 
The seventh is Sabbataios  and has a face of flaming fire. 

This is the sevenfold nature of the week. 

Yaldabaoth has many faces, more than all of these, so that he could show whatever face he wanted when he was among the seraphim.  He shared his fire with them and lorded it over them because of the glorious power he had from his mother’s light. That is why he called himself god and defied the place from which he came. 

In his thought he united the seven powers with the authorities that were with him. When he spoke, it was done. He named each of the powers, beginning with the highest: 

First is goodness, with the first power, Athoth. 
Second is forethought, with the second power, Eloaios. 
Third is divinity, with the third power, Astaphaios. 
Fourth is lordship, with the fourth power, Yao. 
Fifth is kingdom, with the fifth power, Sabaoth. 
Sixth is jealousy, with the sixth power, Adonin. 
Seventh is understanding, with the seventh power, Sabbataios. 

Each has a sphere in its own realm. 

They were named after the glory above for the destruction of the powers. While the names given them by their maker were powerful, the names given them after the glory above would bring about their destruction and loss of power. That is why they have two names. 

Yaldabaoth organized everything after the pattern of the first realms that had come into being, so that he might create everything in an incorruptible form. Not that he had seen the incorruptible ones. Rather, the power that is in him, that he had taken from his mother, produced in him the pattern for the world order. 

When he saw creation surrounding him, and the throng of angels around him who had come forth from him, he said to them, I am a jealous god and there is no other god beside me. 

But by announcing this, he suggested to the angels with him that there is another god. For if there were no other god, of whom would he be jealous?

Then the mother began to move around. She realized that she was lacking something when the brightness of her light diminished. She grew dim because her partner had not collaborated with her. 

I  said, Master, what does it mean that she moved around? 

The master laughed and said, Do not suppose that it is as Moses said, above the waters.  No, when she recognized the wickedness that had occurred and the robbery her son had committed, she repented. When she became forgetful in the darkness of ignorance, she began to be ashamed. She did not dare to return, but she was agitated. This agitation is the moving around. 

The arrogant one took power from his mother. He was ignorant, for he thought no one existed except his mother alone. When he saw the throng of angels he had created, he exalted himself over them. 

When the mother realized that the trappings  of darkness had come into being imperfectly, she understood that her partner had not collaborated with her. She repented with many tears. The whole realm of fullness heard her prayer of repentance and offered praise on her behalf to the invisible virgin spirit, and the spirit consented. When the invisible spirit consented, the holy spirit poured upon her some of the fullness of all. For her partner did not come to her on his own, but he came to her through the realm of fullness, so that he might restore what she lacked. She was taken up not to her own eternal realm, but to a position above her son. She was to remain in the ninth heaven until she restored what was lacking in herself. 

A voice called from the exalted heavenly realm, 

The human exists 
and the human child. 

The first ruler, Yaldabaoth, heard the voice and thought it had come from his mother. He did not realize its source. 

The holy perfect mother-father, 
the complete forethought, 
the image of the invisible one, 
being the father of everything, 
through whom everything came into being, 
the first human— 
this is the one who showed them, and appeared in human shape. 

The entire realm of the first ruler quaked, and the foundations of the abyss shook. The bottom of the waters above the material world was lighted by this image that had appeared. When all the authorities and the first ruler stared at this appearance, they saw the whole bottom as it was illuminated. And through the light they saw the shape of the image in the water. 

Yaldabaoth said to the authorities with him, Come, let us create a human being after the image of god and with a likeness to ourselves, so that this human image may give us light. 

They created through their respective powers, according to the features that were given to them. Each of the authorities contributed a psychical feature corresponding to the figure of the image they had seen. They created a being like the perfect first human and said, Let us call it Adam, that its name may give us power of light. 

The powers began to create: 

The first one, goodness, created a soul of bone. 
The second, forethought, created a soul of sinew. 
The third, divinity, created a soul of flesh. 
The fourth, lordship, created a soul of marrow. 
The fifth, kingdom, created a soul of blood. 
The sixth, jealousy, created a soul of skin. 
The seventh, understanding, created a soul of hair. 

The throng of angels stood by and received these seven psychical substances from the authorities  in order to create a network of limbs and trunk, with all the parts properly arranged. 

The first one, who is Raphao, began by creating the head, 
Abron created the skull, 
Meniggesstroeth created the brain, 
Asterechme the right eye, 
Thaspomocha the left eye, 
Yeronumos the right ear, 
Bissoum the left ear, 
Akioreim the nose, 
Banen-Ephroum the lips, 
Amen the teeth, 
Ibikan the molars, 
Basiliademe the tonsils, 
Achcha the uvula, 
Adaban the neck, 
Chaaman the vertebrae, 
Dearcho the throat, 
Tebar the right shoulder, 
N——the left shoulder, 
Mniarchon the right elbow, 
——e the left elbow, 
Abitrion the right underarm, 
Euanthen the left underarm, 
Krus the right hand, 
Beluai the left hand, 
Treneu the fingers of the right hand, 
Balbel the fingers of the left hand, 
Krima the fingernails, 
Astrops the right breast, 
Barroph the left breast, 
Baoum the right shoulder joint, 
Ararim the left shoulder joint, 
Areche the belly, 
Phthaue the navel, 
Senaphim the abdomen, 
Arachethopi the right ribs, 
Zabedo the left ribs, 
Barias the right hip, 
Phnouth the left hip, 
Abenlenarchei the marrow, 
Chnoumeninorin the bones, 
Gesole the stomach, 
Agromauma the heart, 
Bano the lungs, 
Sostrapal the liver, 
Anesimalar the spleen, 
Thopithro the intestines, 
Biblo the kidneys, 
Roeror the sinews, 
Taphreo the backbone, 
Ipouspoboba the veins, 
Bineborin the arteries, 
Aatoimenpsephei the breaths in all the limbs, 
Entholleia all the flesh, 
Bedouk the right buttock, 
Arabeei the left buttock, 
. . . the penis, 
Eilo the testicles, 
Sorma the genitals, 
Gormakaiochlabar the right thigh, 
Nebrith the left thigh, 
Pserem the muscles of the right leg, 
Asaklas the muscle of the left, 
Ormaoth the right leg, 
Emenun the left leg, 
Knux the right shin, 
Tupelon the left shin, 
Achiel the right ankle, 
Phneme the left ankle, 
Phiouthrom the right foot, 
Boabel its toes, 
Trachoun the left foot, 
Phikna its toes, 
Miamai the toenails, 
Labernioum. . . . 

Those who are appointed over all these are seven in number: 

Athoth, 
Armas, 
Kalila, 
Yabel, 
Sabaoth, 
Cain, 
Abel. 

Those who activate the limbs are, part by part: 

the head, Diolimodraza, 
the neck, Yammeax, 
the right shoulder, Yakouib, 
the left shoulder, Ouerton, 
the right hand, Oudidi, 
the left one, Arbao, 
the fingers of the right hand, Lampno, 
the fingers of the left hand, Leekaphar, 
the right breast, Barbar, 
the left breast, Imae, 
the chest, Pisandraptes, 
the right shoulder joint, Koade, 
the left shoulder joint, Odeor, 
the right ribs, Asphixix, 
the left ribs, Sunogchouta, 
the abdomen, Arouph, 
the womb, Sabalo, 
the right thigh, Charcharb, 
the left thigh, Chthaon, 
all the genitals, Bathinoth, 
the right leg, Choux, 
the left leg, Charcha, 
the right shin, Aroer, 
the left shin, Toechtha, 
the right ankle, Aol, 
the left ankle, Charaner, 
the right foot, Bastan, 
its toes, Archentechtha, 
the left foot, Marephnounth, 
its toes, Abrana. 

Seven have been empowered over all these: 

Michael, 
Uriel, 
Asmenedas, 
Saphasatoel, 
Aarmouriam, 
Richram, 
Amiorps. 

Those who are over the senses are Archendekta, 

the one who is over perception is Deitharbathas, 
the one who is over imagination is Oummaa, 
the one who is over arrangement is Aachiaram, 
the one who is over all impulse to action is Riaramnacho. 

The source of the demons that are in the entire body is divided into four: 

heat, 
cold, 
wetness, 
dryness. 

The mother of them all is matter. 

The one who is lord over heat is Phloxopha, 
the one who is lord over cold is Oroorrothos, 
the one who is lord over what is dry is Erimacho, 
the one who is lord over wetness is Athuro. 

The mother of all these, Onorthochras, stands in the midst of them, for she is unlimited and mingles with them all. She is matter, and by her they are nourished. 

The four principal demons are: 

Ephememphi, the demon of pleasure, 
Yoko, the demon of desire, 
Nenentophni, the demon of grief, 
Blaomen, the demon of fear. 

The mother of them all is Esthesis-Ouch-Epi-Ptoe. 

From the four demons have come passions: 

From grief come jealousy, envy, pain, trouble, distress, hardheartedness, anxiety, sorrow, and others. 
From pleasure comes an abundance of evil, vain conceit, and the like. 
From desire come anger, wrath, bitterness, intense lust, greed, and the like. 
From fear come terror, servility, anguish, and shame. 

All these are like virtues and vices. The insight into their true nature is Anaro, who is head of the material soul, and it dwells with Esthesis-Z-Ouch-Epi-Ptoe. 

This is the number of angels. In all they number 365.  They all worked together until, limb by limb, the psychical and material body was completed. Now, there are others over the remaining passions, and I have not told you about them. If you want to know about them, the information is recorded in the Book of Zoroaster. 

All the angels and demons worked together until they fashioned the psychical body. But for a long time their creation did not stir or move at all. 

When the mother wanted to take back the power she had relinquished to the first ruler, she prayed to the most merciful mother-father of all. With a sacred command the mother-father sent five luminaries down to the place of the angels of the first ruler. They advised him so that they might recover the mother’s power. 

They said to Yaldabaoth, Breathe some of your spirit into the face of Adam, and then the body will arise. 

He breathed his spirit into Adam.  The spirit is the power of his mother, but he did not realize this, because he lives in ignorance. The mother’s power went out of Yaldabaoth and into the psychical body that had been made to be like the one who is from the beginning. 

The body moved and became powerful.  And it was enlightened. 

At once the rest of the powers became jealous. Although Adam had come into being through all of them, and they had given their power to this human, Adam was more intelligent than the creators and the first ruler. When they realized that Adam was enlightened, and could think more clearly than they, and was stripped of evil,  they took and threw Adam into the lowest part of the whole material realm. 

The blessed, benevolent, merciful mother-father had compassion for the mother’s power that had been removed from the first ruler. The rulers might be able to overpower the psychical, perceptible body once again. So with its benevolent spirit and great mercy the mother-father sent a helper to Adam, an enlightened afterthought who is from the mother-father and who was called life.  She helped the whole creature, laboring with it, restoring it to its fullness, teaching it about the descent of the seed, teaching it about the way of ascent, which is the way of descent. 

Enlightened afterthought was hidden within Adam so that the rulers might not recognize her, but that afterthought might be able to restore what the mother lacked. 

The human being Adam was revealed through the bright shadow within. And Adam’s ability to think was greater than that of all the creators. When they looked up, they saw that Adam’s ability to think was greater, and they devised a plan with the whole throng of rulers and angels. They took fire, earth, and water, and combined them with the four fiery winds.  They wrought them together and made a great commotion. 

The rulers brought Adam into the shadow of death so that they might produce a figure again, from earth, water, fire, and the spirit that comes from matter, that is, from the ignorance of darkness, and desire, and their own false spirit. This is the cave for remodeling the body that these criminals put on the human, the fetter of forgetfulness.  Adam became a mortal being, the first to descend and the first to become estranged. 

The enlightened afterthought within Adam, however, would rejuvenate Adam’s mind. 

The rulers took Adam and put Adam in paradise. They said, Eat, meaning, do so in a leisurely manner.  But in fact their pleasure is bitter and their beauty is perverse. Their pleasure is a trap, their trees are a sacrilege, their fruit is deadly poison, their promise is death. 

They put their tree of life in the middle of paradise. 

I  shall teach you the secret of their life, the plan they devised together, the nature of their spirit: The root of their tree is bitter, its branches are death, its shadow is hatred, a trap is in its leaves, its blossom is bad ointment, its fruit is death, desire is its seed, it blossoms in darkness. The dwelling place of those who taste of it is the underworld, and darkness is their resting place. 

But the rulers lingered in front of what they call the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is the enlightened afterthought,  so that Adam might not behold its fullness  and recognize his shameful nakedness. 

But I  was the one who induced them to eat. 

I  said to the savior, Master, was it not the snake that instructed Adam to eat? 

The savior laughed and said, The snake instructed them to eat of the wickedness of sexual desire and destruction so that Adam might be of use to the snake. This is the one  who knew Adam was disobedient because of the enlightened afterthought within Adam, which made Adam stronger of mind than the first ruler. The first ruler wanted to recover the power that he himself had passed on to Adam. So he brought deep sleep upon Adam. 

I said to the savior, What is this deep sleep? 

The savior said, It is not as Moses wrote and you heard. He said in his first book, He put Adam to sleep.  Rather, this deep sleep was a loss of sense. Thus the first ruler said through the prophet, I shall make their minds sluggish, that they may neither understand nor discern. 

Enlightened afterthought hid herself within Adam. The first ruler wanted to take her from Adam’s side, but enlightened afterthought cannot be apprehended. While darkness pursued her, it did not apprehend her. The first ruler removed part of Adam’s power and created another figure in the form of a female, like the image of afterthought that had appeared to him. He put the part he had taken from the power of the human being into the female creature. It did not happen, however, the way Moses said: Adam’s rib. 

Adam saw the woman beside him. At once enlightened afterthought appeared and removed the veil that covered his mind. He sobered up from the drunkenness of darkness. He recognized his counterpart and said, This is now bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. 

For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will join himself to his wife, and the two of them will become one flesh. For his partner will be sent to him, and he will leave his father and his mother. 

Our sister Sophia is the one who descended in an innocent manner to restore what she lacked. For this reason she was called life,  that is, the mother of the living, by the forethought of the sovereignty of heaven and by the afterthought that appeared to Adam.  Through her have the living tasted perfect knowledge. 

As for me, I appeared in the form of an eagle  on the tree of knowledge, which is the afterthought of the pure enlightened forethought, that I might teach the human beings and awaken them from the depth of sleep. For the two of them were fallen and realized that they were naked.  Afterthought appeared to them as light and awakened their minds. 

When Yaldabaoth realized that the humans had withdrawn from him, he cursed his earth. He found the woman as she was preparing herself for her husband. He was master over her. And he did not know the mystery that had come into being through the sacred plan. The two of them were afraid to denounce Yaldabaoth. He displayed to his angels the ignorance within him. He threw the humans out of paradise and cloaked them in thick darkness. 

The first ruler saw the young woman standing next to Adam and noticed that the enlightened afterthought of life had appeared in her. Yet Yaldabaoth was full of ignorance. So when the forethought of all realized this, she dispatched emissaries, and they stole life  out of Eve. 

The first ruler defiled Eve and produced in her two sons, a first and a second: Elohim and Yahweh. 

Elohim has the face of a bear, 
Yahweh has the face of a cat. 

One is just, the other is unjust. 

He placed Yahweh over fire and wind, 
he placed Elohim over water and earth. 

He called them by the names Cain and Abel, with a view to deceive. 

To this day sexual intercourse has persisted because of the first ruler. He planted sexual desire in the woman who belongs to Adam. Through intercourse the first ruler produced duplicate bodies, and he blew some of his false spirit into them. 

He placed these two rulers  over the elements so that they might rule over the cave. 

When Adam came to know the counterpart of his own foreknowledge, he produced a son like the human child. He called him Seth, after the manner of the heavenly race in the eternal realms.  Similarly, the mother sent down her spirit, which is like her and is a copy of what is in the realm of fullness, for she was going to prepare a dwelling place for the eternal realms that would come down. 

The human beings were made to drink water of forgetfulness  by the first ruler, so that they might not know where they had come from. For a time the seed remained and helped so that when the spirit descends from the holy realms, it may raise up the seed and heal what it lacks, that the entire realm of fullness may be holy and lack nothing. 

I said to the savior, Master, will all the souls then be led safely into pure light? 

He answered and said to me, These are great matters that have arisen in your mind, and it is difficult to explain them to anyone except those of the unshakable race. 

Those upon whom the spirit of life will descend and whom the spirit will empower will be saved and become perfect and be worthy of greatness and be cleansed there of all evil and the anxieties of wickedness, since they are anxious for nothing except the incorruptible alone, and concerned with that from this moment on, without anger, jealousy, envy, desire, or greed for anything. 

They are affected by nothing but being in the flesh alone, and they wear the flesh as they look forward to a time when they will be met by those who receive them. Such people are worthy of the incorruptible, eternal life and calling. They endure everything and bear everything so as to finish the contest and receive eternal life. 

I said to him, Master, will the souls of people be rejected  who have not done these things, but upon whom the power and the spirit of life have descended? 

He answered and said to me, If the spirit descends upon them, by all means they will be saved and transformed. Power will descend upon every person, for without it no one could stand.  After birth, if the spirit of life grows, and power comes and strengthens that soul, no one will be able to lead it astray with evil actions. But people upon whom the false spirit descends are misled by it and go astray. 

I said, Master, where will their souls go when they leave their flesh? 

He laughed and said to me, The soul in which there is more power than the contemptible spirit is strong. She escapes from evil, and through the intervention of the incorruptible one she is saved and is taken up to eternal rest. 

I said, Master, where will the souls go of people who have not known to whom they belong? 

He said to me, The contemptible spirit has grown stronger in such people while they were going astray. This spirit lays a heavy burden on the soul, leads her into evil, and hurls her down into forgetfulness. After the soul leaves the body, she is handed over to the authorities who have come into being through the ruler. They bind her with chains and throw her into prison.  They go around with her until she awakens from forgetfulness and acquires knowledge. This is how she attains perfection and is saved. 

I said, Master, how can the soul become younger and return into its mother’s womb,  or into the human ? 

He was glad when I asked him about this, and he said to me, You are truly blessed, for you have understood. This soul will be made to follow another in whom the spirit of life dwells, and she is saved through that one. Then she will not be thrust into flesh again. 

I said, Master, where will the souls go of people who had knowledge but turned away? 

He said to me, They will be taken to the place where the angels of misery go, where there is no repentance. They will be kept there until the day when those who have blasphemed against the spirit will be tortured and punished eternally. 

I said, Master, where did the contemptible spirit come from? 

He said to me, The mother-father is great in mercy, the holy spirit, who in every way is compassionate, who sympathizes with you,  the afterthought of enlightened forethought. This one raised up the offspring of the perfect generation and raised their thought and the eternal light of the human. When the first ruler realized that these people were exalted above him and could think better than he, he wanted to grasp their thought. He did not know that they surpassed him in thought and that he would be unable to grasp them. 

He devised a plan with his authorities, who are his powers. Together they fornicated with Sophia, and through them was produced bitter fate,  the final, fickle bondage. Fate is like this because the powers are fickle. To the present day fate is harder and stronger than what gods, angels, demons, and all the generations have encountered. For from fate have come all iniquity and injustice and blasphemy, the bondage of forgetfulness, and ignorance, and all burdensome orders, weighty sins, and great fears. Thus all of creation has been blinded so that none might know the god that is over them all. Because of the bondage of forgetfulness, their sins have been hidden. They have been bound with dimensions, times, and seasons, and fate is master of all. 

The first ruler regretted everything that had happened through him. Once again he made a plan, to bring a flood upon the human creation.  The enlightened greatness of forethought, however, warned Noah. Noah announced this to all the offspring, the human children, but those who were strangers to him did not listen to him. It did not happen the way Moses said, They hid in an ark.  Rather, they hid in a particular place, not only Noah, but also many other people from the unshakable race. They entered that place and hid in a bright cloud. Noah knew about his supremacy. With him was the enlightened one who had enlightened them, since the first ruler had brought darkness upon the whole earth. 

The first ruler formulated a plan with his powers. He sent his angels to the human daughters so they might take some of them and raise offspring for their pleasure.  At first they were unsuccessful. When they had proved unsuccessful, they met again and devised another plan. They created a contemptible spirit similar to the spirit that had descended, in order to adulterate souls through this spirit. The angels changed their appearance to look like the partners of these women and filled the women with the spirit of darkness that they had concocted, and with evil. 

They brought gold, silver, gifts, copper, iron, metal, and all sorts of things. They brought great anxieties to the people who followed them, leading them astray with many deceptions. These people grew old without experiencing pleasure and died without finding truth or knowing the god of truth. In this way all creation was forever enslaved, from the beginning of the world until the present day. 

The angels took women, and from the darkness they produced children similar to their spirit. They closed their minds and became stubborn through the stubbornness of the contemptible spirit until the present day. 

Now I, the perfect forethought of all, transformed myself into my offspring. I existed first and went down every path. 

I am the abundance of light, 

I am the remembrance of fullness. 

I went into the realm of great darkness and continued until I entered the midst of the prison. The foundations of chaos shook, and I hid from them because of their evil, and they did not recognize me. 

Again I returned, a second time, and went on. I had come from the inhabitants of light—I, the remembrance of forethought. 

I entered the midst of darkness and the bowels of the underworld, turning to my task. The foundations of chaos shook as though to fall upon those who dwell in chaos and destroy them. Again I hurried back to the root of my light so they might not be destroyed before their time. 

Again, a third time, I went forth— 

I am the light dwelling in light, 
I am the remembrance of forethought— 

so that I might enter the midst of darkness and the bowels of the underworld. I brightened my face with light from the consummation of their realm and entered the midst of their prison, which is the prison of the body. 

I said, Let whoever hears arise from deep sleep. 

A person wept and shed tears. Bitter tears the person wiped away, and said, Who is calling my name? From where has my hope come as I dwell in the bondage of prison? 

I said, 

I am the forethought of pure light, 
I am the thought of the virgin spirit, who raises you to a place of honor. 

Arise, remember that you have heard 
and trace your root, 
which is I, the compassionate. 

Guard yourself against the angels of misery, 
the demons of chaos and all who entrap you, 
and beware of deep sleep 
and the trap  in the bowels of the underworld. 

I raised and sealed the person in luminous water with five seals, that death might not prevail over the person from that moment on. 

Look, now I shall ascend to the perfect realm. I have finished everything for you in your hearing. I have told you everything for you to record and communicate secretly to your spiritual friends. This is the mystery of the unshakable race. 

The savior communicated this to John for him to record and safeguard. He said to him, Cursed be anyone who will trade these things for a gift, for food, drink, clothes, or anything like this. 

These things were communicated to John in a mystery, and at once the savior disappeared. Then John went to the other students and reported what the savior had told him. 

Jesus the anointed 

Amen

"And if you (Asclepius) wish to see the reality of this mystery, then you should see the wonderful representation of the intercourse that takes place between the male and the female. For when the semen reaches the climax, it leaps forth. In that moment, the female receives the strength of the male; the male, for his part, receives the strength of the female, while the semen does this. 

"Therefore, the mystery of intercourse is performed in secret, in order that the two sexes might not disgrace themselves in front of many who do not experience that reality. For each of them (the sexes) contributes its (own part in) begetting. For if it happens in the presence of those who do not understand the reality, (it is) laughable and unbelievable. And, moreover, they are holy mysteries, of both words and deeds, because not only are they not heard, but also they are not seen. 

"Therefore, such people (the unbelievers) are blasphemers. They are atheistic and impious. But the others are not many; rather, the pious who are counted are few. Therefore, wickedness remains among (the) many, since learning concerning the things which are ordained does not exist among them. For the knowledge of the things which are ordained is truly the healing of the passions of the matter. Therefore, learning is something derived from knowledge. 

"But if there is ignorance, and learning does not exist in the soul of man, (then) the incurable passions persist in it (the soul). And additional evil comes with them (the passions), in the form of an incurable sore. And the sore constantly gnaws at the soul, and through it the soul produces worms from the evil, and stinks. But God is not the cause of these things, since he sent to men knowledge and learning. 

"Trismegistus, did he send them to men alone?"
"Yes, Asclepius, he sent them to them alone. And it is fitting that we tell you why to men alone he granted knowledge and learning, the allotment of his good. 

"And now listen! God and the Father, even the Lord, created man subsequent to the gods, and he took him from the region of matter. Since matter is involved in the creation of man, of ..., the passions are in it. Therefore, they continually flow over his body, for this living creature would not have existed in any other way except that he had taken this food, since he is mortal. It is also inevitable that inopportune desires, which are harmful, dwell in him. For the gods, since they came into being out of a pure matter, do not need learning and knowledge. For the immortality of the gods is learning and knowledge, since they came into being out of pure matter. It (immortality) assumed for them the position of knowledge and learning. By necessity, he (God) set a boundary for man; he placed him in learning and knowledge. 

"Concerning these things (learning and knowledge) which we have mentioned from the beginning, he (God) perfected them in order that by means of these things he might restrain passions and evils, according to his will. He brought his (man's) mortal existence into immortality; he (man) became good (and) immortal, just as I have said. For he (God) created (a) two-fold nature for him: the immortal and the mortal. 

"And it happened this way because of the will of God that men be better than the gods, since, indeed, the gods are immortal, but men alone are both immortal and mortal. Therefore, man has become akin to the gods, and they know the affairs of each other with certainty. The gods know the things of men, and men know the things of the gods. And I am speaking about men, Asclepius, who have attained learning and knowledge. But (about) those who are more vain than these, it is not fitting that we say anything base, since we are divine and are introducing holy matters. 

"Since we have entered the matter of the communion between the gods and men, know, Asclepius, that in which man can be strong! For just as the Father, the Lord of the universe, creates gods, in this very way man too, this mortal, earthly, living creature, the one who is not like God, also himself creates gods. Not only does he strengthen, but he is also strengthened. Not only is he god, but he also creates gods. Are you astonished, Asclepius? Are you yourself another disbeliever like the many?" 

"Trismegistus, I agree with the words (spoken) to me. And I believe you as you speak. But I have also been astonished at the discourse about this. And I have decided that man is blessed, since he has enjoyed this great power." 

"And that which is greater than all these things, Asclepius, is worthy of admiration. Now it is clear to us concerning the race of the gods, and we confess it along with everyone else, that it (the race of the gods) has come into being out of a pure matter. And their bodies are heads only. But that which men create is the likeness of the gods. They (the gods) are from the farthest part of the matter, and it (the object created by men) is from the outer (part) of the being of men. Not only are they (what men created) heads, but (they are) also all the other members of the body, and according to their likeness. Just as God has willed that the inner man be created according to his image, in the very same way, man on earth creates gods according to his likeness." 

"Trismegistus, you are not talking about idols, are you?"
"Asclepius, you yourself are talking about idols. You see that again, you yourself, Asclepius, are also a disbeliever of the discourse. You say about those who have soul and breadth, that they are idols - these who bring about these great events. You are saying about these who give prophecies that they are idols - these who give men sickness and healing that ... them. 

"Or are you ignorant, Asclepius, that Egypt is (the) image of heaven? Moreover, it is the dwelling place of heaven and all the forces that are in heaven. If it is proper for us to speak the truth, our land is (the) temple of the world. And it is proper for you not to be ignorant that a time will come in it (our land, when) Egyptians will seem to have served the divinity in vain, and all their activity in their religion will be despised. For all divinity will leave Egypt, and will flee upward to heaven. And Egypt will be widowed; it will be abandoned by the gods. For foreigners will come into Egypt, and they will rule it. Egypt! Moreover, Egyptians will be prohibited from worshipping God. Furthermore, they will come into the ultimate punishment, especially whoever among them is found worshipping (and) honoring God. 

"And in that day, the country that was more pious than all countries will become impious. No longer will it be full of temples, but it will be full of tombs. Neither will it be full of gods, but (it will be full of) corpses. Egypt! Egypt will become like the fables. And your religious objects will be ... the marvelous things, and ..., and if your words are stones and are wonderful. And the barbarian will be better than you, Egyptian, in his religion, whether (he is) a Scythian, or the Hindus, or some other of this sort. 

"And what is this that I say about the Egyptian? For they (the Egyptians) will not abandon Egypt. For (in) the time (when) the gods have abandoned the land of Egypt, and have fled upward to heaven, then all Egyptians will die. And Egypt will be made a desert by the gods and the Egyptians. And as for you, River, there will be a day when you will flow with blood more than water. And dead bodies will be (stacked) higher than the dams. And he who is dead will not be mourned as much as he who is alive. Indeed, the latter will be known as an Egyptian on account of his language in the second period (of time). - Asclepius, why are you weeping? - He will seem like (a) foreigner in regard to his customs. Divine Egypt will suffer evils greater than these. Egypt - lover of God, and the dwelling place of the gods, school of religion - will become an example of impiousness. 

"And in that day, the world will not be marveled at, ... and immortality, nor will it be worshiped ..., since we say that it is not good .... It has become neither a single thing nor a vision. But it is in danger of becoming a burden to all men. Therefore, it will be despised - the beautiful world of God, the incomparable work, the energy that possesses goodness, the man-formed vision. Darkness will be preferred to light, and death will be preferred to life. No one will gaze into heaven. And the pious man will be counted as insane, and the impious man will be honored as wise. The man who is afraid will be considered as strong. And the good man will be punished like a criminal. 

"And concerning the soul, and the things of the soul, and the things of immortality, along with the rest of what I have said to you, Tat, Asclepius, and Ammon - not only will they be considered ridiculous, but they will also be thought of as vanity. But believe me (when I say) that people of this kind will be endangered by the ultimate danger to their soul. And a new law will be established ... (2 lines missing) ... they will ... (line missing) ... good. The wicked angels will remain among men, (and) be with them, (and) lead them into wicked things recklessly, as well as into atheism, wars, and plunderings, by teaching them things contrary to nature. 

"In those days, the earth will not be stable, and men will not sail the sea, nor will they know the stars in heaven. Every sacred voice of the word of God will be silenced, and the air will be diseased. Such is the senility of the world: atheism, dishonor, and the disregard of noble words. 

"And when these things had happened, Asclepius, then the Lord, the Father and god from the only first god, the creator, when he looked upon the things that happened, established his design, which is good, against the disorder. He took away error, and cut off evil. Sometimes, he submerged it in a great flood; at other times, he burned it in a searing fire; and at still other times, he crushed it in wars and plagues, until he brought ... (4 lines missing) ... of the work. And this is the birth of the world. 

"The restoration of the nature of the pious ones who are good will take place in a period of time that never had a beginning. For the will of God has no beginning, even as his nature, which is his will (has no beginning). For the nature of God is will. And his will is the good." 

"Trismegistus, is purpose, then, (the same as) will?"
"Yes, Asclepius, since will is (included) in counsel. For <he> (God) does not will what he has from deficiency. Since he is complete in every part, he wills what he (already) fully has. And he has every good. And what he wills, he wills. And he has the good that he wills. Therefore, he has everything. And God wills what he wills. And the good world is an image of the Good One." 

"Trismegistus, is the world good?"
"Asclepius, it is good, as I shall teach you. For just as ... (2 lines missing) ... of soul and life ... of the world ... come forth in matter, those that are good, the change of the climate, and beauty, and the ripening of the fruits, and the things similar to all these. Because of this, God has control over the heights of heaven. He is in every place, and he looks out over every place. And (in) his place there is neither heaven nor star. And he is free from (the) body. 

"Now the creator has control in the place that is between the earth and heaven. He is called 'Zeus', that is, 'Life'. Plutonius Zeus is lord over the earth and sea. And he does not possess the nourishment for all mortal living creatures, for (it is) Kore who bears the fruit. These forces always are powerful in the circle of the earth, but those of others are always from Him-who-is. 

"And the lords of the earth will withdraw themselves. And they will establish themselves in a city that is in a corner of Egypt and that will be built toward the setting of the sun. Every man will go into it, whether they come on the sea or on the shore." 

"Trismegistus, where will these be settled now?"
"Asclepius, in the great city that is on the Libyan mountain ... (2 lines missing) ... it frightens ... as a great evil, in ignorance of the matter. For death occurs, which is the dissolution of the labors of the body, and the number (of the body), when it (death) completes the number of the body. For the number is the union of the body. Now the body dies when it is not able to support the man. And this is death: the dissolution of the body and the destruction of the sensation of the body. And it is not necessary to be afraid of this, nor because of this, but because of what is not known, and is disbelieved (is one afraid)." 

"But what is not known, or is disbelieved?"
"Listen, Asclepius! There is a great demon. The great God has appointed him to be overseer or judge over the souls of men. And God has placed him in the middle of the air, between earth and heaven. Now when the soul comes forth from (the) body, it is necessary that it meet this daimon. Immediately, he (the daimon) will surround this one (masc.), and he will examine him in regard to the character that he has developed in his life. And if he finds that he piously performed all of his actions for which he came into the world, this (daimon) will allow him ... (1 line missing) ... turn him .... But if he sees ... in this one ... he brought his life into evil deeds, he grasps him, as he flees upward, and throws him down, so that he is suspended between heaven and earth, and is punished with a great punishment. And he will be deprived of his hope, and will be in great pain. 

"And that soul has been put neither on the earth nor in heaven, but it has come into the open sea of the air of the world, the place where there is a great fire, and crystal water, and furrows of fire, and a great upheaval. The bodies are tormented (in) various (ways). Sometimes they are cast down into the fire, in order that it may destroy them. Now, I will not say that this is the death of the soul, for it has been delivered from evil, but it is a death sentence. 

"Asclepius, it is necessary to believe these things and to fear them, in order that we might not encounter them. For unbelievers are impious, and commit sin. Afterwards, they will be compelled to believe, and they will not hear by word of mouth only, but will experience the reality itself. For they kept believing that they would not endure these things. Nor only ... (1 line missing). First, Asclepius, all those of the earth die, and those who are of the body cease ... of evil ... with these of this sort. For those who are here are not like those who are there. So with the daimons who ... men, they despite ... there. Thus, it is not the same. But truly, the gods who are here will punish more whoever has hidden it here every day." 

"Trismegistus, what is the character of the iniquity that is there?"
"Now you think, Asclepius, that when one takes something in a temple, he is impious. For that kind of a person is a thief and a bandit. And this matter concerns gods and men. But do not compare those here with those of the other place. Now I want to speak this discourse to you confidentially; no part of it will be believed. For the souls that are filled with much evil will not come and go in the air, but they will be put in the places of the daimons, which are filled with pain, (and) which are always filled with blood and slaughter, and their food, which is weeping, mourning, and groaning." 

"Trismegistus, who are these (daimons)?"
"Asclepius, they are the ones who are called 'stranglers', and those who roll souls down on the dirt, and those who scourge them, and those who cast into the water, and those who cast into the fire, and those who bring about the pains and calamities of men. For such as these are not from a divine soul, nor from a rational soul of man. Rather, they are from the terrible evil."

... in heaven ... within him ... anyone appears ... the hidden heavens ... appear, and before the invisible, ineffable worlds appeared. From these the invisible soul of righteousness came, being a fellow member, and a fellow body, and a fellow spirit. Whether she is in the descent or is in the Pleroma, she is not separated from them, but they see her and she looks at them in the invisible world. 

Secretly her bridegroom fetched it. He presented it to her mouth to make her eat it like food, and he applied the word to her eyes as a medicine to make her see with her mind and perceive her kinsmen and learn about her root, in order that she might cling to her branch from which she had first come forth, in order that she might receive what is hers and renounce matter. 

... he dwelt... having ... sons. The sons ... truly, those who have come from his seed, call the sons of the woman "our brothers". In this very way, when the spiritual soul was cast into the body, it became a brother to lust and hatred and envy, and a material soul. So therefore the body came from lust, and lust came from material substance. For this reason the soul became a brother to them. 

And yet they are outsiders, without power to inherit from the male, but they will inherit from their mother only. Whenever, therefore, the soul wishes to inherit along with the outsiders - for the possessions of the outsiders are proud passions, the pleasures of life, hateful envies, vainglorious things, nonsensical things, accusations ... for her ... prostitution, he excludes her and puts her into the brothel. For ... debauchery for her. She left modesty behind. For death and life are set before everyone. Whichever of these two they wish, then, they will choose for themselves. 

That one then will fall into drinking much wine in debauchery. For wine is the debaucher. Therefore she does not remember her brothers and her father, for pleasure and sweet profits deceive her. 

Having left knowledge behind, she fell into bestiality. For a senseless person exists in bestiality, not knowing what is proper to say and what it is proper not to say. But, on the other hand, the gentle son inherits from his father with pleasure, while his father rejoices over him because he receives honor on account of him from everyone, as he looks again for the way to double the things that he has received. For the outsiders .... 

... to mix with the .... For if a thought of lust enters into a virgin man, he has already become contaminated. And their gluttony cannot mix with moderation. For if the chaff is mixed with the wheat, it is not the chaff that is contaminated, but the wheat. For since they are mixed with each other, no one will buy her wheat, because it is contaminated. But they will coax him, "Give us this chaff!", seeing the wheat mixed with it, until they get it and throw it with all other chaff, and that chaff mixes with all other materials. But a pure seed is kept in storehouses that are secure. All these things,then, we have spoken. 

And before anything came into being, it was the Father alone who existed, before the worlds that are in the heavens appeared, or the world that is on the earth, or principality, or authority, or the powers. ... appear ... and ... And nothing came into being without his wish. 

He, then, the Father, wishing to reveal his wealth and his glory, brought about this great contest in this world, wishing to make the contestants appear, and make all those who contend leave behind the things that had come into being, and despise them with a lofty, incomprehensible knowledge, and flee to the one who exists. 

And (as for) those who contend with us, being adversaries who contend against us, we are to be victorious over their ignorance through our knowledge, since we have already known the Inscrutable One from whom we have come forth. We have nothing in this world, lest the authority of the world that has come into being should detain us in the worlds that are in the heavens, those in which universal death exists, surrounded by the individual ... worldly. We have also become ashamed of the worlds, though we take no interest in them when they malign us. And we ignore them when they curse us. When they cast shame in our face, we look at them and do not speak. 

For they work at their business, but we go about in hunger (and) in thirst, looking toward our dwelling-place, the place which our conduct and our conscience look toward, not clinging to the things which have come into being, but withdrawing from them. Our hearts are set on the things that exist, though we are ill (and) feeble (and) in pain. But there is a great strength hidden within us. 

Our soul indeed is ill because she dwells in a house of poverty, while matter strikes blows at her eyes, wishing to make her blind. For this reason she pursues the word and applies it to her eyes as a medicine <opening> them, casting away ... thought of a ... blindness in ... afterwards, when that one is again in ignorance, he is completely darkened and is material. Thus the soul ... a word every hour, to apply it to her eyes as a medicine in order that she may see, and her light may conceal the hostile forces that fight with her, and she may make them blind with her light, and enclose them in her presence, and make them fall down in sleeplessness, and she may act boldly with her strength and with her scepter. 

While her enemies look at her in shame, she runs upward into her treasure-house - the one in which her mind is - and (into) her storehouse which is secure, since nothing among the things that have come into being has seized her, nor has she received a stranger into her house. For many are her homeborn ones who fight against her by day and by night, having no rest by day or by night, for their lust oppresses them. 

For this reason, then, we do not sleep, nor do we forget the nets that are spread out in hiding, lying in wait for us to catch us. For if we are caught in a single net, it will suck us down into its mouth, while the water flows over us, striking our face. And we will be taken down into the dragnet, and we will not be able to come up from it, because the waters are high over us, flowing from above downward, submerging our heart down in the filthy mud. And we will not be able to escape from them. For man-eaters will seize us and swallow us, rejoicing like a fisherman casting a hook into the water. For he casts many kinds of food into the water because each one of the fish has his own food. He smells it and pursues its odor. But when he eats it, the hook hidden within the food seizes him and brings him up by force out of the deep waters. No man is able, then, to catch that fish down in the deep waters, except for the trap that the fisherman sets. By the ruse of food he brought the fish up on the hook. 

In this very way we exist in this world, like fish. The adversary spies on us, lying in wait for us like a fisherman, wishing to seize us, rejoicing that he might swallow us. For he places many foods before our eyes (things) which belong to this world. He wishes to make us desire one of them and to taste only a little, so that he may seize us with his hidden poison and bring us out of freedom and take us into slavery. For whenever he catches us with a single food, it is indeed necessary for us to desire the rest. Finally, then, such things become the food of death. 

Now these are the foods with which the devil lies in wait for us. First he injects a pain into your heart until you have heartache on account of a small thing of this life, and he seizes (you) with his poisons. And afterward (he injects) the desire of a tunic, so that you will pride yourself in it, and love of money, pride, vanity, envy that rivals another envy, beauty of body, fraudulence. The greatest of all these are ignorance and ease. 

Now all such things the adversary prepares beautifully and spreads out before the body, wishing to make the mind of the soul incline her toward one of them and overwhelm her, like a hook, drawing her by force in ignorance, deceiving her until she conceives evil, and bears fruit of matter, and conducts herself in uncleanness, pursuing many desires, covetousnesses, while fleshly pleasure draws her in ignorance. 

But the soul - she who has tasted these things - realized that sweet passions are transitory. She had learned about evil; she went away from them and she entered into a new conduct. Afterwards she despises this life, because it is transitory. And she looks for those foods that will take her into life, and leaves behind her those deceitful foods. And she learns about her light, as she goes about stripping off this world, while her true garment clothes her within, (and) her bridal clothing is placed upon her in beauty of mind, not in pride of flesh. And she learns about her depth and runs into her fold, while her shepherd stands at the door. In return for all the shame and scorn, then, that she received in this world, she receives ten thousand times the grace and glory. 

She gave the body to those who had given it to her, and they were ashamed, while the dealers in bodies sat down and wept because they were not able to do any business with that body, nor did they find any (other) merchandise except it. They endured great labors until they had shaped the body of this soul, wishing to strike down the invisible soul. They were therefore ashamed of their work; they suffered the loss of the one for whom they had endured labors. They did not realize that she has an invisible spiritual body, thinking, "We are her shepherd who feeds her." But they did not realize that she knows another way, which is hidden from them. This her true shepherd taught her in knowledge. 

But these - the ones who are ignorant - do not seek after God. Nor do they inquire about their dwelling-place, which exists in rest, but they go about in bestiality. They are more wicked than the pagans, because first of all they do not inquire about God, for their hardness of heart draws them down to make them their cruelty. Furthermore, if they find someone else who asks about his salvation, their hardness of heart sets to work upon that man. And if he does not stop asking, they kill him by their cruelty, thinking that they have done a good thing for themselves. 

Indeed they are sons of the devil! For even pagans give charity, and they know that God who is in the heavens exists, the Father of the universe, exalted over their idols, which they worship. But they have not heard the word, that they should inquire about his ways. Thus the senseless man hears the call, but he is ignorant of the place to which he has been called. And he did not ask during the preaching, "Where is the temple into which I should go and worship my hope?" 

On account of his senselessness, then, he is worse than a pagan, for the pagans know the way to go to their stone temple, which will perish, and they worship their idol, while their hearts are set on it because it is their hope. But to this senseless man the word has been preached, teaching him, "Seek and inquire about the ways you should go, since there is nothing else that is as good as this thing." The result is that the substance of hardness of heart strikes a blow upon his mind, along with the force of ignorance and the demon of error. They do not allow his mind to rise up, because he was wearying himself in seeking that he might learn about his hope. 

But the rational soul who (also) wearied herself in seeking - she learned about God. She labored with inquiring, enduring distress in the body, wearing out her feet after the evangelists, learning about the Inscrutable One. She found her rising. She came to rest in him who is at rest. She reclined in the bride-chamber. She ate of the banquet for which she had hungered. She partook of the immortal food. She found what she had sought after. She received rest from her labors, while the light that shines forth upon her does not sink. To it belongs the glory and the power and the revelation for ever and ever. Amen.

The secret sayings that the savior spoke to Judas Thomas which I, even I, Mathaias, wrote down, while I was walking, listening to them speak with one another. 

The savior said, "Brother Thomas while you have time in the world, listen to me, and I will reveal to you the things you have pondered in your mind.

"Now, since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist, and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself. And I know that you have understood, because you had already understood that I am the knowledge of the truth. So while you accompany me, although you are uncomprehending, you have (in fact) already come to know, and you will be called 'the one who knows himself'. For he who has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved knowledge about the depth of the all. So then, you, my brother Thomas, have beheld what is obscure to men, that is, what they ignorantly stumble against." 

Now Thomas said to the lord, "Therefore I beg you to tell me what I ask you before your ascension, and when I hear from you about the hidden things, then I can speak about them. And it is obvious to me that the truth is difficult to perform before men."

The savior answered, saying, "If the things that are visible to you are obscure to you, how can you hear about the things that are not visible? If the deeds of the truth that are visible in the world are difficult for you to perform, how indeed, then, shall you perform those that pertain to the exalted height and to the pleroma which are not visible? And how shall you be called 'laborers'? In this respect you are apprentices, and have not yet received the height of perfection."

Now Thomas answered and said to the savior, "Tell us about these things that you say are not visible, but are hidden from us."

The savior said, "Every human body, like the the beasts, is begotten irational. Doesn't it appear like a creature erect among other creatures? For this very reason, those that are above do not appear among things that are visible, but they are visible in their own root, and it is their fruit that nourishes them. But these visible bodies survive by devouring creatures similar to them with the result that the bodies change. Now that which changes will decay and perish, and has no hope of life from then on, since that body is bestial. So just as the body of the beasts perishes, so also will these formations perish. Do they not derive from intercourse like that of the beasts? If it, too derives from intercourse, how will it beget anything different from beasts? So, therefore, you are babes until you become perfect."

And Thomas answered, "Therefore I say to you, lord, that those who speak about things that are invisible and difficult to explain are like those who shoot their arrows at a target at night. To be sure, they shoot their arrows as anyone would - since they shoot at the target - but it is not visible. Yet when the light comes forth and hides the darkness, then the work of each will appear. And you, our light, enlighten, O lord." 

Jesus said, "It is in light that light exists." 

Thomas, spoke, saying, "Lord, why does this visible light that shines on behalf of men rise and set?"

The savior said, "O blessed Thomas, of course this visible light shines on your behalf - not in order that you remain here, but rather that you might come forth - and whenever all the elect abandon bestiality, then this light will withdraw up to its essence, and its essence will welcome it, since it is a good servant."

Then the savior continued and said, "O unsearchable love of the light! O bitterness of the fire that blazes in the bodies of men and in their marrow, kindling in them night and day, and burning the limbs of men and making their minds become drunk and their souls become deranged. And that which is imprisoned in them (bodies)—within males and females by day and night—and that moves them powerfully, burns secretly and visibly. For the males move; they move upon the females and the females upon the males. Therefore it is said, "Everyone who seeks the truth from true wisdom will make himself wings so as to fly, fleeing the lust that scorches the spirits of men." And he will make himself wings to flee every visible spirit."

And Thomas answered, saying, "Lord, this is exactly what I am asking you about, since I have understood that you are the one who is beneficial to us, as you say."

Again the savior answered and said, "Therefore it is necessary for us to speak to you, since this is the doctrine of the perfect. If, now, you desire to become perfect, you shall observe these things; if not, your name is 'Ignorant', since it is impossible for an intelligent man to dwell with a fool, for the intelligent man is perfect in all wisdom. To the fool, however, the good and bad are the same—indeed the wise man will be nourished by the truth and (Ps."will be like a tree growing by the meandering stream"—seeing that there are some who, although having wings, rush upon the visible things, things that are far from the truth. For that which guides them, the fire, will give them an illusion of truth, and will shine on them with a perishable beauty, and it will imprison them in a dark sweetness and captivate them with fragrant pleasure. And it will blind them with insatiable lust and burn their souls and become for them like a stake stuck in their heart which they can never dislodge. And like a bit in the mouth, it leads them according to its own desire. And it has fettered them with its chains and bound all their limbs with the bitterness of the bondage of lust for those visible things that will decay and change and swerve by impulse. They have always been attracted downwards; as they are killed, they are assimilated to all the beasts of the perishable realm."

Thomas answered and said, "It is obvious and has been said, 'Many are those who cry out to those who do not know the repose of their soul.'"

And the savior answered, saying, "Blessed is the wise man who sought after the truth, and when he found it, he rested upon it forever and was unafraid of those who wanted to disturb him."

Thomas answered and said, "It is beneficial for us, lord, to rest among our own?"

The savior said, "Yes, it is useful. And it is good for you, since things visible among men will dissolve: for the vessel of their flesh will dissolve, and when it is brought to naught it will come to be among visible things, among things that are seen. And then the fire which they see gives them pain on account of love for the faith they formerly possessed. They will be gathered back to that which is visible. Moreover, those who have sight among things that are not visible, without the first love they will perish in the concern for this life and the scorching of the fire. Only a little while longer, and that which is visible will dissolve; then shapeless shades will emerge, and in the midst of tombs they will forever dwell upon the corpses in pain and corruption of soul." 

Thomas answered and said, "What have we to say in the face of these things? What shall we say to blind men? What doctrine should we express to these miserable mortals who say, "We came to do good and not to curse," and yet claim, "Had we not been begotten in the flesh, we would not have known iniquity"?"

The savior said, "Truly, as for those, do not esteem them as men, but regard them as beasts, for just as beasts devour one another, so also men of this sort devour one another. On the contrary, they are deprived of the kingdom since they love the sweetness of the fire and are servants of death and rush to the works of corruption. They fulfill the lust of their fathers. They will be thrown down to the abyss and be afflicted by the torment of the bitterness of their evil nature. For they will be scourged so as to make them rush backwards, whither they do not know, and they will recede from their limbs not patiently, but with despair. And they rejoice over their involvement with life in madness and derangement, since they are fools. They pursue this derangement without realizing their madness, thinking that they are wise. They love the beauty of their body ... Their mind is directed to their own selves, for their thought is occupied with their deeds. But it is the fire that will burn them." 

And Thomas answered and said, "Lord, what will the one thrown down to them do? For I am most anxious about them; many are those who fight them." 

The savior answered and said, "What is your own opinion?"

Judas - the one called Thomas - said, "It is you, lord, whom it befits to speak, and me to listen." 

The savior replied, "Listen to what I am going to tell you and believe in the truth. That which sows and that which is sown will dissolve in the fire - within the fire and the water - and they will hide in tombs of darkness. And after a long time they shall show forth the fruit of the evil trees, being punished, being slain in the mouth of beasts and men at the instigation of the rains and winds and air and the light that shines above."

Thomas replied, "You have certainly persuaded us, lord. We realize in our heart, and it is obvious, that this is so, and that your word is sufficient. But these sayings that you speak to us are ridiculous and contemptible to the world since they are misunderstood. So how can we go preach them, since we are not esteemed in the world?"

The savior answered and said, "Truly I tell you that he who will listen to your word and turn away his face or sneer at it or smirk at these things, truly I tell you that he will be handed over to the ruler above who rules over all the powers as their king, and he will turn that one around and cast him from heaven down to the abyss, and he will be imprisoned in a narrow dark place. Moreover, he can neither turn nor move on account of the great depth of Tartaros and the heavy bitterness of Hades that is steadfast. And they are drawn into it so that they will not escape. They will not put away their madness. And the people that will persecute you will be handed over to the angel Tartarouchos who bears whips of fire, pursuing them as fiery scourges cast a shower of sparks into the face of the one who is pursued. If he flees westward, he finds the fire. If he turns southward, he finds it there as well. If he turns northward, the threat of seething fire meets him again. Nor does he find the way to the east so as to flee there and be saved, for he did not find it in the day he was in the body, so that he might find it in the day of judgment." 

Then the savior continued, saying, 

"Woe to you, godless ones, who have no hope, who rely on things that will not happen!

"Woe to you who hope in the flesh and in the prison that will perish! How long will you be oblivious? And how long will you suppose that the imperishables will perish too? Your hope is set upon the world, and your god is this life! You are corrupting your souls!

"Woe to you within the fire that burns in you, for it is insatiable! 

"Woe to you because of the wheel that turns in your minds!

"Woe to you within the grip of the burning that is in you, for it will devour your flesh openly and rend your souls secretly, and prepare you for your companions!

"Woe to you, captives, for you are bound in caverns! You laugh! In mad laughter you rejoice! You neither realize your perdition, nor do you reflect on your circumstances, nor have you understood that you dwell in darkness and death! On the contrary, you are drunk with the fire and full of bitterness. Your mind is deranged on account of the burning that is in you, and sweet to you are the poison and the blows of your enemies! And the darkness rose for you like the light, for you surrendered your freedom for servitude! You darkened your hearts and surrendered your thoughts to folly, and you filled your thoughts with the smoke of the fire that is in you! And your light has hidden in the cloud of darkness and the garment that is put upon you, you pursued with deceit. And you were seized by the hope that does not exist. And whom is it you have believed? Do you not know that you all dwell among those who ... … and you boast as though you had hope. You baptized your souls in the water of darkness! You walked by your own whims!

"Woe to you who dwell in error, heedless that the light of the sun which judges and looks down upon the all will circle around all things so as to enslave the enemies. You do not even notice the moon, how by night and day it looks down, looking at the bodies of your slaughters!

"Woe to you who love intimacy with womankind and polluted intercourse with them!

And woe to you in the grip of the powers of your body, for they will afflict you!

Woe to you in the grip of the forces of the evil demons! 

Woe to you who beguile your limbs with fire! Who is it that will rain a refreshing dew on you to extinguish the mass of fire from you along with your burning? Who is it that will cause the sun to shine upon you to disperse the darkness in you and hide the darkness and polluted water?

"The sun and the moon will give a fragrance to you together with the air and the wind (spirit) and the earth and the water. For if the sun does not shine upon these bodies, they will wither and perish just like weeds or grass. If the sun shines on them, they prevail and choke the grapevine; but if the grapevine prevails and shades those weeds and all the other brush growing alongside, and spreads and flourishes, it alone inherits the land in which it grows; and every place it has shaded it dominates. And when it grows up, it dominates all the land and is bountiful for its master, and it pleases him even more, for he would have suffered great pains on account of these plants until he uprooted them. But the grapevine alone removed them and choked them, and they died and became like the soil."

Then Jesus continued and said to them,

"Woe to you, for you did not receive the doctrine, and those who are ... will labor at preaching .... And you are rushing into … ... … will send them down … ... you kill them daily in order that they might rise from death.

"Blessed are you who have prior knowledge of the stumbling blocks and who flee alien things.

"Blessed are you who are reviled and not esteemed on account of the love their lord has for them.

"Blessed are you who weep and are oppressed by those without hope, for you will be released from every bondage.

"Watch and pray that you not come to be in the flesh, but rather that you come forth from the bondage of the bitterness of this life. And as you pray, you will find rest, for you have left behind the suffering and the disgrace. For when you come forth from the sufferings and passions of the body, you will receive rest from the good one, and you will reign with the king, you joined with him and he with you, from now on, for ever and ever, Amen." 

The Book of Thomas The Contender Writing To the Perfect.